Bragança city, its located at northeastern Portugal. It lies on a branch of the Sabor River in the Culebra Mountains, 105 miles northeast of Porto on the border with Spain.
Originally, Bragança was a Celtic city known as Brigantia; it later became the Juliobriga of the Romans. Historically, the city is important as the seat of the House of Bragança, which provided the kings of Portugal from 1640 to 1910 and the emperors of Brazil from 1822 to 1889; their feudal castle still remains. Catherine of Bragança became the queen consort ( in 1662) of Charles II of England. Bragança, an episcopal see, was the capital of the historical Trás-os-Montes province. Notable landmarks in the city include the 12th-century Domus Municipal (Portugal’s oldest and largest town hall), the Renaissance cathedral, and the town walls, with 18 watchtowers. The possessions of the house of Bragança belong to the Portuguese state and support the Fundação da Casa de Bragança, a foundation with a library, a museum, and a lecture centre in the 16th-century residence of the Bragança family in Vila Viçosa.
Things to Discover in Bragança
You have a lot to see and discover in Bragança, but let us start in Avenida João da Cruz, which ends in the garden of the same name, is one of Bragança’s main roads and can be the start of the Itinerary. It is a spacious area that also provides access to the banks of the River Fervença, with footbridges and green spaces. This part is known as Pólis because it is included in this urban regeneration programme. On this route, we follow the accessible Rua Almirante Reis, passing through a partially accessible block until arriving at Praça da Sé the Cathedral square.
The Church of the Old Cathedral is a 16th-century building in the Renaissance style, with interesting Baroque decorative elements... Five minutes away is the Graça Morais Contemporary Art Centre. It is dedicated to the Portuguese painter but also has a varied programme of temporary exhibitions. The award-winning building was restored under a project by the architect Eduardo Souto de Mora. Right next to it is the Centre for Interpretation of Sephardic Culture of Northeast Trás-os-Montes, which shows how the Jewish community settled and lived in this border area.
Continuing along Rua Abílio Beça, also known as the museum street, we pass close to the Church of the Misericórdia and the Santa Clara church, both of artistic interest. We carry on towards the Abade de Baçal Museum. It is housed in the former Bishop’s Palace, which dates from the 18th century. It used to be the official residence of the bishops for half the year at a time when the diocese was shared by Bragança and Miranda do Douro. It was created in 1915, thanks to the interest, taste and historical research of the north-east region by Father Francisco Manuel Alves. Further ahead on the same street we find the Church of São Bento.
The itinerary continues through the Town Gate, entering the citadel where some of the most symbolic monuments of Bragança can be found. As we enter the oldest urban nucleus we are welcomed by the unusual pillory, standing on a boar-like base, recalling the Celtic origins of the region. The local traditions are well represented in the Iberian Mask and Costume Museum that we find on the way to the castle.
The Torre de Menagem, that served as a watchtower in the Middle Ages, now accommodates the military museum that tells us the history of this walled city and its important role in the defence strategy of the territory. At the top, the view over the surrounding landscape is stunning.
Leaving the tower we find the interesting Domus Municipalis, the meeting place of the ‘good men’ of the municipality. This type of building was usually built of wood, but the fact that it was made of stone enabled it to be preserved over a long period, making it a unique example of Romanesque civil architecture.
As we come to the end of the route there is still time to visit the Church of Santa Maria, the oldest in Bragança, or Romanesque origin. Decorative embellishments were added in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries, in particular, the Renaissance and Baroque styles that we can see today.
After getting to know #Bragança, it is still worth visiting the Montesinho Natural Park and going to Rio de Onor, a communitarian village which lives harmoniously, half Portuguese and half Spanish.
#Portugal is a land filled with legends and stories.
Visit Portugal and discover our #culture, #tales and #communities.
Know more:
NorthHolidays
by LisbonHolidays
(+351)915 100 004
Comments