Volta Grande: Railways, Cinema and Culture

Volta Grande offers several ways to explore the town’s history: railways, Brazilian cinema and visual art. The Cachoeira da Usina, listed as a tourist attraction, adds a natural attraction. Cultural history and nature give your trip different thematic focuses, which you can weigh up according to your interests.

Railway History in Volta Grande

The Estrada de Ferro Leopoldina station opened in 1874; Emperor Pedro II attended the opening. This event provides a specific historical point of reference for the town’s railway history. A later chapter connects the station with culture: on February 17, 1990, RFFSA opened a Centro Ferroviário de Cultura at Estação de Volta Grande. By then, the centre had already been relocated from the station to the town centre some time earlier. The two events illustrate different chapters: the opening of the railway station and its use as the site of a cultural centre.

Humberto Mauro and Brazilian Cinema

Humberto Mauro was born in Volta Grande, Minas Gerais, and went on to become a pioneer of Brazilian cinema. The Estúdios Rancho Alegre in Volta Grande are also part of this film history: they were used for many of Mauro’s short films and documentaries. His birthplace and the film studios connect the town’s history with an important figure in Brazilian cinema. For film enthusiasts, this offers a special perspective on Volta Grande: it is not only about Mauro’s origins, but also about the use of the studios located there for his films.

Wood Art and Cultural Themes

On June 27, 2025, Casa de Cultura Humberto Mauro presented the exhibition “O Imaginário em Madeira” by artist José Heitor da Silva. The self-taught woodcarver created figures from trunks and roots, telling stories from everyday life, popular religiosity and Afro-Brazilian culture. The materials and themes add another artistic perspective to the film history: the figures combine woodcarving with stories from different areas of life and culture. The exhibition took place on this specific date, making it a time-specific part of Volta Grande’s cultural life.

Religious Heritage and Nature

The Igrejinha – Capela Nossa Senhora do Rosário is listed in the state register of protected monuments in Minas Gerais for the period from 2003 to 2005. The Igrejinha Nossa Senhora do Rosario is also among the attractions in Volta Grande. This adds another cultural perspective to the railway, film and art themes. The Cachoeira da Usina is also listed as an attraction in Volta Grande, adding a natural element to these themes. Together, these places offer different points of interest for a trip shaped either more by cultural history or by an interest in nature.

Choose the Right Focus for Your Trip

When looking for a holiday apartment in Volta Grande, you can start with your interests. Railway and film history offer several cultural points of interest; the wood art exhibition adds its own artistic expression to this focus. The Cachoeira da Usina offers a different, nature-based perspective on the town. This allows you to choose accommodation based on the aspects that interest you most during your trip.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Barranco Alto, Cristiano Otoni, João Monlevade, Natércia, Poços De Caldas, Tombos, Lagoa Da Prata, Sapucaí-Mirim

For the main travel overview: Minas Gerais.