Institute of Education of Minas Gerais

(Former Normal Model School of the State of Minas Gerais)

The building was designed by the architect of the Construction Commission of the New Capital, Edgar Nascentes Coelho, in the eclectic style, predominant at the time. Construction began in 1897 and the inauguration took place the following year. The place would be the headquarters of the Ginásio Mineiro, which would come from Ouro Preto, and the Secretariats of State, however, the gymnasium was installed in a building at the Afonso Arinos Square and the secretariats went to the Praça da Liberdade.

These changes were made in the transfer of the capital to Belo Horizonte due to the need for immediate functioning of the Court of Relations and Forum, which worked there until 1909, when they were transferred to Afonso Pena avenue.

The Normal School, created by the president of Minas Gerais, João Pinheiro, in 1906, began to operate the following year in a building on Timbiras street, being only transferred to the current headquarters in 1909.

The old building had two floors on a high foundation of hand stones and bricks, which constituted a usable basement. The front facade consisted of a central body with arches, a frontispiece and a staircase. The building was flanked by two symmetrical bodies, marked by a series of windows on both floors, and the nearest part of the center was reentrant.

Beginning in 1912, the first renovations were initiated to adapt the building to a school building, meeting the new pedagogical and hygiene requirements, as well as the huge contingent of students in the various courses created.

The definitive solution came with a new project by architect Carlos Santos, who demolished part of the original project, enlarging the lateral wings of the left and right. A new wing was built on the back façade of Paraíba Street, and a monumental portico was created at the entrance, which is reached through a grandiose granite staircase in two flights, with an intermediate landing on a ramp for car access. The lobby with four double-height Ionic columns gives access to a large hall, from which a beautiful “imperial” staircase leads, which takes the visitor to the rich noble hall on the second floor. In front of this staircase there is a beautiful stained glass window and, just behind it, an auditorium for 500 seats was built.

Applied on the walls of the main hall there are two decorative panels in relief, carved by Belgian Jeanne Louise Milde and installed in July 1930, on re-inauguration of the building. The panels represent the teaching of Natural Science and of Arts. The artist was in the European pedagogical mission that participated in the reform of teaching in Minas Gerais.

In 1982, the ensemble was registered by the State in the Cultural and Historical Heritage and in 1994 by the Secretariat for Culture of Belo Horizonte.