The origins of Juiz de Fora can be traced back to the beginnings of the 18th
century, when a road called "Caminho Novo" (New Way) was opened,
linking Rio de Janeiro to the gold rush area of Minas Gerais. The region was
covered with dense forest (thus its name since, "Zona da Mata", Forest Zone). Despite the opening of
the new route, the area remained largely uninhabited, and most of its scarce
settlement was centered around the road itself. The first permanent inhabitants
of the municipality were merchants and farmers who supplied the travelers'
needs on the long road
