Where is it? João Monlevade is a Brazilian municipality in the interior of Minas Gerais, in the Southeast region of the country. It is located to the east of the state capital, approximately 110 kilometers away. It covers an area of 99.158 km², with 29.1 km² in urban areas, and its population in 2022 was 80,187 inhabitants.
How to get there? To get to João Monlevade from Belo Horizonte, there are several options. If you’re departing from Confins Airport, the best option is to take a bus that drops you off inside the Belo Horizonte bus station. The company offering this service is “Conexão Aeroporto,” which provides hourly buses. Once you arrive at the Belo Horizonte bus station, head to the “Gontijo” counter and purchase your ticket to João Monlevade. Another option is to download the Buser* bus company app and purchase a ticket.
*The Buser depart from various locations in Belo Horizonte. So, if you choose to travel with Buser, make sure to check the departure location of the bus. You may also need to download a private transport app, such as Uber or 99, to get to the departure point.
João Monlevade’s History: The history of this municipality is closely tied to Jean Antoine Felix Dissandes Monlevade, a French engineer. In the early 19th century, around the year 1818, he settled in São Miguel do Rio Piracicaba, near a Catalan forge. Upon arriving in the lands of the old Arraial de São Miguel, Jean Antoine began the construction of his residence, which would later be named Solar da Fazenda Monlevade. In 1948 the District of João Monlevade was established.
In 1921, the Companhia Siderúrgica Mineira, later known as Belgo Mineira, acquired these sites, establishing itself there in 1939. The urban center grew around the CSBM plant and gained political emancipation in 1964.
Climate: The climate of João Monlevade is characterized as tropical sub-warm semi-humid, with an annual average compensated temperature of 21 °C and an average rainfall of 1,400 mm/year, concentrated between October and April, with December being the wettest month. The hottest month, February, has an average temperature of 23.4 °C, while the coldest month, July, averages 17.7 °C.
