t Garden in the middle of the Romanesque Sé‘s cloisters
E1 £ Largo da Estacão @ Praça da Galiza n Avenida da Liberdade 1; 253 262 550
Churches, grand 18th-century houses and pretty gardens characterize Braga’s centre. The city hosts some of Portugal’s most colourful festivals. Semana Santa is celebrated with dramatic, solemn processions, while the festival of São João in June is a lively affair.
t Garden in the middle of the Romanesque Sé‘s cloisters
Experience Minho
n Double-tap image to read the labels
⌂ Rua Dom Paio Mendes § Museu de Arte Sacra: 253 263 317 # Daily
Braga’s cathedral, the oldest in Portugal, was begun in the 11th century, when Henry of Burgundy decided to build on the site of an older church, destroyed in the 6th century. Since then the Romanesque building has seen many changes, including the addition of a graceful galilee (porch) in the late 15th century. Outstanding features include the chapel to the right, just inside the west door, housing the ornate 15th-century tomb of the first-born son of João I, Dom Afonso, who died as a child. The cathedral also houses the Treasury or Museu de Arte Sacra, which contains a rich collection of ecclesiastical treasures as well as statues, carvings and azulejo tiles.
Several chapels can be seen in the courtyard and cloister. The Capela dos Reis houses the tombs of the founders, Henry of Burgundy and his wife Dona Teresa, as well as the preserved body of the 14th-century archbishop Dom Lourenço Vicente.
After admiring the interior of the cathedral, walk around the outside of the building to Rua de São João. Here, on the cathedral’s wall, you will find a statue of Nossa Senhora do Leite (Our Lady of the Milk), symbol of the city of Braga, sheltered under an ornate Gothic canopy.
⌂ Rua dos Biscainhos § 253 204 650 # Tue–Sun
To the west of the city centre is the Palácio dos Biscainhos. Built in the 16th century and modified over the centuries, it is adorned by painted blue-and-white azulejos depicting hunting scenes. An unusual detail is the ribbed, paved ground floor, which was designed to allow carriages inside the building to deposit guests and drive on to the stables beyond.
This imposing aristocratic mansion now houses the city’s Museu Etnográfico e Artístico (Ethnography and Arts Museum), with fascinating displays of Roman relics, as well as furniture dating from the 17th to 19th centuries.
Experience Minho
|
drink Café Brasileira Sip drip-brewed coffee at historic Brasileira. Furnished in 19th-century salon style, this café opened in 1907 as a wholesale coffee shop where patrons were offered a cup of steaming coffee with their purchase of coffee beans. ⌂ Largo do Barão de São Martinho 17 § 253 262 104 |
Insider Tip
Just north of the city centre is the town Mercado (market) where you can buy regional produce and delicacies. Pick up some picnic supplies here and have lunch in the landscaped Jardim de Santa Bárbara, admiring the Antigo Paço Episcopal.
The Archbishop of Santiago stole Braga’s precious relics in the 12th century because he was jealous of the city’s status.
⌂ Praça Municipal ¢ To the public
Near the Sé you’ll find the former archbishop’s palace. The façades of this once grand building date from the 14th, 17th and 18th centuries, but a major fire destroyed the interior in the 18th century. The palace is now used as a private library and archives. Beside it are the immaculate gardens of the Jardim de Santa Bárbara. Landscaped in 1955, its design reflects the romanticism of the Estado Novo period. The gardens are laid out in geometric patterns, with box hedges, topiary and a statue of its namesake, Saint Barbara, at its centre. One particularly striking feature is the broken ruins of an arcade which once ran along the exterior of the palace.
t The Jardim de Santa Bárbara in the shadow of the Antigo Paço Episcopal