Since, it is by means of them that the migratory flows develop themselves, the exchanges of merchandises, among others material and incorporeal factors, which are necessary for the sprouting, growth or decay of an urban nucleus. The ways, therefore are crucial to determine the importance and influence of a city in a region. The present article is part of a study carried through in Diamantina on the urban growth of this city, in which if it looked for to understand the importance of the roads and the ways for its urban growth, since its foundation until the current days. The old road and its importance As the majority of the mining cities of the colonial period, Diamantina appeared following the tracing of the first open ways.

Initially the growth I besiege of it urban if it gave for the way that, come of Serro, lead the city and its continuation in direction to the northeast if it became the route for the new discoveries in the region of Mines Novas and Salvador, at the time Capital of the Colony. This main way, called Real Road currently, comes of the city of Saws and passes for the current quarter of the Straw crossing the part lowest of the city, where it gave to the initial occupation in the Street of the Burgalhau and entorno. It continues for the current Track of the Slaves taking the route for the northeast region of Minas Gerais. The roads of that time generally followed the sinuosities of the land and the one that led to the Diamantina did not run away the rule. It was a crooked way, with great declivities and in some extremely laborious stretches of if being successful, what it still occurs today.