and rug making. It is a place where local artists can show their works. The holdings consist of 243 paintings by national and local artists. There is a collection of 843 photos of historical Patrocinio. Museu Professor Hugo Machado da Silveira: this museum holds the municipal archives, documents, specimens of natural history, rare photos, clothes, machinery, and tools, used throughout the history of the town. There is a rich tradition of folkloric dances called Congadas. These dance groups show a strong African-Brazilian influence. The festivities are in honor of Nossa Senhora do Rosário and São Benedito and Santa Luzia. Most of the celebrations are held between the months of August and January. This is one of the richest traditions brought by the slaves from the Congo-Angola region who lived in the region in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Sports infrastructure There is a stadium for professional football—Estádio Júlio Aguiar—and a sports center seating several thousand spectators for basketball, volleyball and shows. This sports-center belongs to the Ginásio do Patrocínio Tênis Clube. In the city there are 7 multipurpose gymnasiums in addition to several swimming pools. History The origins of the region begin with the bandeirantes, explorers during the Portuguese colonial period, who passed through on their way to the capitania of Goiás looking for gold and slaves. In 1771 the Conde de Valadares, Captain General of Minas Gerais, asked Inácio de Oliveira Campos to make explorations and excavations in the region. In 1773 in the valley of the Rio Dourados he started a ranch called Bromado dos Pavões. This small settlement became part of the Capitania of Goiás and the name was later changed to Salitre. In 1793 the first inhabitants appeared and in 1800 the first chapel was built. At this time the settlement was only an "arraial", a village, and was called Senhora do Patrocínio. In 1819 it had about 40 houses made of mud (adobe bricks) and wood covered with tiles and without any plasterings. On March 9, 1839 the parish was established and the first parish priest was appointed. On April 7, 1842 Nossa Senhor do Patrocínio was declared a municipality separating thus from Araxá. In 1858 part of the municipality was dismembered to create Estrela do Sul. In 1868 another dismemberment occurred creating Patos de Minas. The name of the city is supposedly due to a very rich landowner, who, according to the legend, upon