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Jean Antoine Félix Dissandes de Monlevade

Jean de Monlevade (1791-1872) was a French engineer who moved to Brazil in 1817. He settled in Minas Gerais, where he exploited the State's vast iron ore reserves near the Piracicaba river, with over 100 slaves. The Monlevade family lived in the Fazenda Solar, which was acquired by Belgo Mineira in the 1920s. Belgo Mineira decided to call its industrial town João Monlevade in his honour.

Marc André Meyers

Marc André Meyers was born in Brazil as the eldest son of a Luxembourgish engineer. He is the author of "A Dama e o Luxemburguês" and university professor in San Diego.

Ildeu Caldeira

Ildeu Caldeira is a retired Belgo Mineira worker who moved to João Monlevade as a young boy in the 1930s.

Lucas Vilela

Lucas Vilela is communication manager at ArcelorMittal Brazil in João Monlevade.

Fazenda Solar

The Fazenda Solar was built around 1818 as the new residence of the French engineer Jean Antoine Félix Dissandes de Monlevade. Today, the Fazenda belongs to ArcelorMittal and is occasionally used for special receptions.

Neli Cekiera

Dona Neli moved to João Monlevade in the 1930s, where she fell in love with the son of a Polish engineer.

João Monlevade plant

On 31 August 1935, the founding stone of Belgo Mineira's steel plant in João Monlevade was laid. The construction of this steel plant attracted thousands of workers and engineers from various different countries to João Monlevade seeking new job opportunities.