Braga
Encyclopedia
Braga (ˈbɾaɣɐ), a city in the Braga Municipality
in northwestern Portugal
, is the capital of the Braga District, the oldest archdiocese and the third major city of the country. Braga is the oldest Portuguese
city and one of the oldest Christian cities in the World. With an urban population of 175,063, Braga is the largest city in Portugal after Lisbon and Oporto (including the city and suburban parishes, the municipality had a total of 62 parishes and 181,819 inhabitants as of 2011, is the seventh largest municipality in Portugal by population). Braga is also the center of the Greater Metropolitan Area of Minho
with a population of 826,833 (2007) one of the fastest growing urban areas in the European Union
. Under the Roman Empire
, as Bracara Augusta, it was capital of the province Gallaecia
. The urban area extends from the (river) Cavado to the (river) Este. Braga is serviced by regional and fast trains to Porto and Lisbon. The city of Oporto (Porto) is about 53 km away. The present Mayor is Francisco Soares Mesquita Machado, elected from the Socialist Party
.
The region of Braga has been inhabited since pre-historic times, and in the Iron Age the Bracari
, a Celtic people, occupied the region and built their characteristic fortified villages (castrum). It was the capital of the Callaici Bracarii, or Bracarenses, a tribe who occupied what is now Galicia and northern Portugal. The Romans
began their conquest of the region around 136 BC, and during the times of Emperor Augustus (around the year 20 BC) the city of Bracara Augusta was founded in the context of the administrative needs of the new Roman territory. Bracara was dedicated to the Emperor, hence the name Augusta.
The city of Bracara Augusta developed greatly during the 1st century and reached its maximum extension in the 2nd century. Towards the end of the 3rd century, Emperor Diocletianus promoted the city to the status of capital of the newly-founded province of Gallaecia
.
During the times of the Germanic Invasions of the Iberian Peninsula
, Roman power was dissolved and Bracara Augusta and the whole region of Gallaecia fell into the hands of the Sueves, a Germanic people from Central Europe. In 410, the Sueves established a Kingdom
in the Northwest of Iberia – Gallaecia – and maintained Bracara as the capital. But about 584 it passed into the hands of the Visigothic conquerors of Hispania
, whose renunciation of the Arian and Priscillianist heresies, at two synods held here in the 6th century, marks the origin of its ecclesiastical greatness. The archbishops of Braga retain the title of primate of Portugal, and long claimed supremacy over the Hispanic church also; but their authority was never accepted throughout Hispania
.
Braga had an important role in the Christianisation of the Iberian Peninsula. The first known bishop of Braga, Paternus, lived in the end of the 4th century, although Saint Ovidius
(d. 135 AD) is sometimes considered one of the first bishops of this city.http://www.santiebeati.it/dettaglio/91134 In the early 5th century, Paulus Orosius, a friend of Saint Augustine
born in Braga, wrote several theological and historical works of great importance. In the 6th century a great figure was Saint Martin of Braga, a bishop of Braga who converted the Sueves from Arianism
to Catholicism
. He also founded an important monastery near Braga, in Dumio
(Dume), now an archaeological site. Several Councils were held in Braga during this period, a sign of the religious importance of the city.
The history of Braga during Visigothic and Arab times is very obscure and represents periods of decadence for the city. From the Moors, who captured Braga early in the 8th century, the city was retaken in 1040 by king Ferdinand I of León and Castile. From 1093 to 1147 it was the residence of the Portuguese court. The bishopric was restored in 1070, and the first new bishop, Pedro, started rebuilding the Cathedral
, many times modified in the following centuries. In the early 12th century, Count Henry of Portugal
and bishop Gerald of Moissac managed to turn Braga into an archbishopric seat, with power over a large area in Iberia. The medieval city developed around the cathedral and covers only a fraction of the ancient Roman city. The maximum authority in the city remained that of the archbishop.
, that favoured cities like Lisbon
, Évora
and Coimbra
. This situation was changed by Archbishop Diogo de Sousa, who sponsored several urban improvements in the city, including the enlargement of streets, the creation of public squares and the foundation of hospitals and new churches. He also modernised the cathedral by adding a new main chapel in the fashion of the time, the manueline
style. Diogo de Sousa turned the mediaeval town into a renaissance city, and many of his improvements can still be seen in modern Braga.
Another golden age for the city was the 18th century, in which archbishops and architects like André Soares
and Carlos Amarante dotted the city and surrounding region with beautiful baroque churches and civil buildings. The Municipality, the Public Library building, the Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Monte
and many urban palaces date from this period.
The 19th century was a difficult period for the city and the country, which had been invaded by Napoleonic troops
. In the second half of that century, the influence of Portuguese immigrants who had lived in Brazil introduced new tastes and improvements in the city architecture and infrastructure.
In the 20th century Braga faced great demographic and urbanistic pressures, and the infrastructure of the city had to be greatly improved to meet the new needs.
(Köppen
Csb) similar to other cities in the northwest Iberian Peninsula except for having significantly hotter summer temperatures due to being some distance from the ocean: the absolute maximum is as much as 6˚C (10˚F) higher than for A Coruna
or Santiago de Compostela
.
(Sanctuaries).
The major industries in the municipality are construction, metallurgy and mechanics, software development and web design. The computer industry is growing rapidly.
founded in 1973. In the city was established also, in 1967, a branch of the oldest private university
of Portugal, the Universidade Católica Portuguesa at Braga.
In the late 2000s a major international research centre was founded in the city – the International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory
.
The Rampa da Falperra, a round of the European Hillclimb Championship, is held every year in the outskirts of the city.
The Circuito Vasco Sameiro
and adjacent the Kartódromo Internacional de Braga are located around the local airfield. The racing track held European Touring Car Cup
events in 2009 and 2010, and the KIB has held rounds of the Karting World Championship
.
team, the Braga Broomfleet, operating within the fictional Harry Potter universe
.
with: Astorga
, Spain
Bissorã
, Guinea-Bissau
Clermont-Ferrand
, France
Puteaux
, France
Santo André, Brazil
São Nicolau
, Cape Verde
Braga Municipality
-Parishes:...
in northwestern Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, is the capital of the Braga District, the oldest archdiocese and the third major city of the country. Braga is the oldest Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
city and one of the oldest Christian cities in the World. With an urban population of 175,063, Braga is the largest city in Portugal after Lisbon and Oporto (including the city and suburban parishes, the municipality had a total of 62 parishes and 181,819 inhabitants as of 2011, is the seventh largest municipality in Portugal by population). Braga is also the center of the Greater Metropolitan Area of Minho
Greater Metropolitan Area of Minho
Greater Metropolitan Area of Minho is an administrative division in Portugal. It consists of 13 municipalities that makes the third most populous metropolitan area in the country. They spread over three subregions: Ave , Cávado and Tâmega...
with a population of 826,833 (2007) one of the fastest growing urban areas in the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
. Under the Roman Empire
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
, as Bracara Augusta, it was capital of the province Gallaecia
Gallaecia
Gallaecia or Callaecia, also known as Hispania Gallaecia, was the name of a Roman province and an early Mediaeval kingdom that comprised a territory in the north-west of Hispania...
. The urban area extends from the (river) Cavado to the (river) Este. Braga is serviced by regional and fast trains to Porto and Lisbon. The city of Oporto (Porto) is about 53 km away. The present Mayor is Francisco Soares Mesquita Machado, elected from the Socialist Party
Socialist Party (Portugal)
The Socialist Party , abbreviated to PS, is a social-democratic political party in Portugal. It was founded on 19 April 1973 in the German city of Bad Münstereifel, by militants from Portuguese Socialist Action ....
.
Antiquity
Bracari
The Bracari were an ancient Celtic tribe of Gallaecia, akin to the Calaicians or Gallaeci, living in the northwest of modern Portugal, in the province of Minho, between the rivers Tâmega and Cávado, around the area of the modern city of Braga .Appian wrote they were a very warlike people...
, a Celtic people, occupied the region and built their characteristic fortified villages (castrum). It was the capital of the Callaici Bracarii, or Bracarenses, a tribe who occupied what is now Galicia and northern Portugal. The Romans
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
began their conquest of the region around 136 BC, and during the times of Emperor Augustus (around the year 20 BC) the city of Bracara Augusta was founded in the context of the administrative needs of the new Roman territory. Bracara was dedicated to the Emperor, hence the name Augusta.
The city of Bracara Augusta developed greatly during the 1st century and reached its maximum extension in the 2nd century. Towards the end of the 3rd century, Emperor Diocletianus promoted the city to the status of capital of the newly-founded province of Gallaecia
Gallaecia
Gallaecia or Callaecia, also known as Hispania Gallaecia, was the name of a Roman province and an early Mediaeval kingdom that comprised a territory in the north-west of Hispania...
.
During the times of the Germanic Invasions of the Iberian Peninsula
Migration Period
The Migration Period, also called the Barbarian Invasions , was a period of intensified human migration in Europe that occurred from c. 400 to 800 CE. This period marked the transition from Late Antiquity to the Early Middle Ages...
, Roman power was dissolved and Bracara Augusta and the whole region of Gallaecia fell into the hands of the Sueves, a Germanic people from Central Europe. In 410, the Sueves established a Kingdom
Suebic Kingdom of Galicia
The Suebic Kingdom of Galicia was the first independent barbarian Christian kingdom of Western Europe and the first to separate from the Roman Empire, as well as the first one to mint coins. Based in Gallaecia, it was established in 410 and lasted as independent state until 584, after a century of...
in the Northwest of Iberia – Gallaecia – and maintained Bracara as the capital. But about 584 it passed into the hands of the Visigothic conquerors of Hispania
Hispania
Another theory holds that the name derives from Ezpanna, the Basque word for "border" or "edge", thus meaning the farthest area or place. Isidore of Sevilla considered Hispania derived from Hispalis....
, whose renunciation of the Arian and Priscillianist heresies, at two synods held here in the 6th century, marks the origin of its ecclesiastical greatness. The archbishops of Braga retain the title of primate of Portugal, and long claimed supremacy over the Hispanic church also; but their authority was never accepted throughout Hispania
Hispania
Another theory holds that the name derives from Ezpanna, the Basque word for "border" or "edge", thus meaning the farthest area or place. Isidore of Sevilla considered Hispania derived from Hispalis....
.
Braga had an important role in the Christianisation of the Iberian Peninsula. The first known bishop of Braga, Paternus, lived in the end of the 4th century, although Saint Ovidius
Saint Ovidius
Saint Ovidius , also Saint Auditus, is a Portuguese saint. According to hagiographies of the 16th century, Ovidius was a Roman citizen of Sicilian origin. Tradition states that he was sent to Braga by Pope Clement I, where he served as the city's third bishop around 95...
(d. 135 AD) is sometimes considered one of the first bishops of this city.http://www.santiebeati.it/dettaglio/91134 In the early 5th century, Paulus Orosius, a friend of Saint Augustine
Augustine of Hippo
Augustine of Hippo , also known as Augustine, St. Augustine, St. Austin, St. Augoustinos, Blessed Augustine, or St. Augustine the Blessed, was Bishop of Hippo Regius . He was a Latin-speaking philosopher and theologian who lived in the Roman Africa Province...
born in Braga, wrote several theological and historical works of great importance. In the 6th century a great figure was Saint Martin of Braga, a bishop of Braga who converted the Sueves from Arianism
Arianism
Arianism is the theological teaching attributed to Arius , a Christian presbyter from Alexandria, Egypt, concerning the relationship of the entities of the Trinity and the precise nature of the Son of God as being a subordinate entity to God the Father...
to Catholicism
Catholicism
Catholicism is a broad term for the body of the Catholic faith, its theologies and doctrines, its liturgical, ethical, spiritual, and behavioral characteristics, as well as a religious people as a whole....
. He also founded an important monastery near Braga, in Dumio
Dumio
The Monastery of Dumio , is a former paleo-Christian monastery in the civil parish of Dume, municipality of Braga, in northwestern portio of Portugal. Originally a Roman villa, it was the base of a basilica by Suebi tribes, and later Christian monastery headed by Martin of Braga in the 6th century...
(Dume), now an archaeological site. Several Councils were held in Braga during this period, a sign of the religious importance of the city.
Middle Ages
Braga Cathedral
The Cathedral of Braga is one of the most important monuments in the city of Braga, in Northern Portugal. Due to its long history and artistic significance it is also one of the most important buildings in the country.-History:...
, many times modified in the following centuries. In the early 12th century, Count Henry of Portugal
Henry, Count of Portugal
Henry of Burgundy, Count of Portugal was Count of Portugal from 1093 to his death. He was brother of Hugh I, Duke of Burgundy, and Odo I, Duke of Burgundy, all sons of Henry, the heir of Robert I, Duke of Burgundy. His name is Henri in modern French, Henricus in Latin, Enrique in modern Spanish...
and bishop Gerald of Moissac managed to turn Braga into an archbishopric seat, with power over a large area in Iberia. The medieval city developed around the cathedral and covers only a fraction of the ancient Roman city. The maximum authority in the city remained that of the archbishop.
Modern Age
In the 16th century, Braga did not profit from the Age of Portuguese DiscoveriesAge of Discovery
The Age of Discovery, also known as the Age of Exploration and the Great Navigations , was a period in history starting in the early 15th century and continuing into the early 17th century during which Europeans engaged in intensive exploration of the world, establishing direct contacts with...
, that favoured cities like Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
, Évora
Évora
Évora is a municipality in Portugal. It has total area of with a population of 55,619 inhabitants. It is the seat of the Évora District and capital of the Alentejo region. The municipality is composed of 19 civil parishes, and is located in Évora District....
and Coimbra
Coimbra
Coimbra is a city in the municipality of Coimbra in Portugal. Although it served as the nation's capital during the High Middle Ages, it is better-known for its university, the University of Coimbra, which is one of the oldest in Europe and the oldest academic institution in the...
. This situation was changed by Archbishop Diogo de Sousa, who sponsored several urban improvements in the city, including the enlargement of streets, the creation of public squares and the foundation of hospitals and new churches. He also modernised the cathedral by adding a new main chapel in the fashion of the time, the manueline
Manueline
The Manueline, or Portuguese late Gothic, is the sumptuous, composite Portuguese style of architectural ornamentation of the first decades of the 16th century, incorporating maritime elements and representations of the discoveries brought from the voyages of Vasco da Gama and Pedro Álvares Cabral...
style. Diogo de Sousa turned the mediaeval town into a renaissance city, and many of his improvements can still be seen in modern Braga.
Another golden age for the city was the 18th century, in which archbishops and architects like André Soares
André Soares
André Soares Ribeiro da Silva, more commonly known as André Soares was a leading Portuguese sculptor and architect active in Northern Portugal during the 18th century....
and Carlos Amarante dotted the city and surrounding region with beautiful baroque churches and civil buildings. The Municipality, the Public Library building, the Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Monte
Bom Jesus do Monte
thumb|250px|Stairway and church of Bom Jesus do Monte.Bom Jesus do Monte is a Portuguese sanctuary in Tenões, surroundings of the city of Braga, in northern Portugal. Its name means Good Jesus of the Mount....
and many urban palaces date from this period.
The 19th century was a difficult period for the city and the country, which had been invaded by Napoleonic troops
Peninsular War
The Peninsular War was a war between France and the allied powers of Spain, the United Kingdom, and Portugal for control of the Iberian Peninsula during the Napoleonic Wars. The war began when French and Spanish armies crossed Spain and invaded Portugal in 1807. Then, in 1808, France turned on its...
. In the second half of that century, the influence of Portuguese immigrants who had lived in Brazil introduced new tastes and improvements in the city architecture and infrastructure.
In the 20th century Braga faced great demographic and urbanistic pressures, and the infrastructure of the city had to be greatly improved to meet the new needs.
Climate
Braga has a Mediterranean climateMediterranean climate
A Mediterranean climate is the climate typical of most of the lands in the Mediterranean Basin, and is a particular variety of subtropical climate...
(Köppen
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
Csb) similar to other cities in the northwest Iberian Peninsula except for having significantly hotter summer temperatures due to being some distance from the ocean: the absolute maximum is as much as 6˚C (10˚F) higher than for A Coruna
A Coruña
A Coruña or La Coruña is a city and municipality of Galicia, Spain. It is the second-largest city in the autonomous community and seventeenth overall in the country...
or Santiago de Compostela
Santiago de Compostela
Santiago de Compostela is the capital of the autonomous community of Galicia, Spain.The city's Cathedral is the destination today, as it has been throughout history, of the important 9th century medieval pilgrimage route, the Way of St. James...
.
Main sights
The city of Braga and its surrounding region have many historical monuments, including the cathedral (Sé), Bom Jesus, and SameiroSameiro Sanctuary
The Sameiro Sanctuary is a sanctuary located in Braga, in the surroundings of the city of Braga, Portugal.Construction was begun on 14 July 1863 on the domed church of Nossa Senhora do Sameiro . The founder of the shrine was the Vicar of Braga, Padre Antonio Martinho Pereira da Silva...
(Sanctuaries).
Churches
- Braga CathedralBraga CathedralThe Cathedral of Braga is one of the most important monuments in the city of Braga, in Northern Portugal. Due to its long history and artistic significance it is also one of the most important buildings in the country.-History:...
(Sé de Braga, 12th–18th centuries): The most important historical monument of the city. Rich mix of architectural and artistic styles. - Populo ChurchPopulo ChurchPópulo Church is a neoclassical church located in Braga.The church started to be built by the end of the 16th century, under the order of Archbishop D...
(16th century): Neo-classicalNeoclassical architectureNeoclassical architecture was an architectural style produced by the neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century, manifested both in its details as a reaction against the Rococo style of naturalistic ornament, and in its architectural formulas as an outgrowth of some classicizing...
church. - Misericordia ChurchMisericordia ChurchThe Misericórdia is a church located in Sé, Braga, Portugal.Built in 1562 it is considered the most important legacy of the renaissance period in the city, despite the profound changes it suffered in the 18th and 19th centuries....
(Igreja da Misericórdia): A renaissanceRenaissanceThe Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
-style church. - Saint Paul ChurchSaint Paul Church in BragaThe Saint Paul Church in Portuguese, Igreja de São Paulo is a Portuguese 16th-century church in Braga, Portugal, dedicated to Saint Paul the Apostle of Jesus....
(Igreja de São Paulo) - Saint Vincent Church (Igreja de São Vicente)
- Carmo ChurchCarmo ChurchThe Carmo Church in Portuguese, Igreja do Carmo is a Portuguese 17th-century church in Braga, Portugal, with a Latin cross Floor plan and a single nave.The church is part of the Carmelite Convent, founded in 1653....
(Igreja do Carmo) - Congregados ChurchCongregados ChurchThe Congregados Basilica in Portuguese, Igreja dos Congregados is a Portuguese 18th-century baroque Basilica in Braga, Portugal.The church, a project from the architect André Soares, is flanked on the top by two bell towers, one of which finished is the 60s of the 20th century....
(Igreja dos Congregados) - Holy Cross ChurchHoly Cross Church, BragaThe Holy Cross Church in Portuguese, Igreja de Santa Cruz is a Portuguese 17th century church in Braga, Portugal, dedicated to the Holy Cross.-See also:*Holy Cross Church...
(Igreja de Santa Cruz)
Museums
- Biscainhos MuseumBiscainhos MuseumThe Biscainhos Museum is located in the palace with the same name, in Sé, Braga, Portugal.-The Building:The building dates possibly from the late 16th century and like others manor houses, the edifice has undergone many restorations and additions over the years...
- Cathedral TreasureCathedral TreasureThe Cathedral Treasure or Sacred Art Museum is a museum incorporated in the Braga Cathedral in Braga, Portugal.It comprises five collections: Treasure, Carving, Statuary, Azulejos and Bells.-Treasure:The treasure contains a wealth of precious items:...
- Image MuseumImage MuseumThe Image Museum or in Portuguese Museu da Imagem is located in Braga, Portugal and is dedicated to photography.The collection is one of the largest and most important in Portugal...
- Museum MedinaMuseum MedinaThe Museum Medina is located in Braga, Portugal, in the same building of the Pius XII Museum.The collection comprises 83 oil paintings and 21 drawings of the painter Henrique Medina.Among the collection there are many portraits, still life and landscapes....
- Nogueira da Silva MuseumNogueira da Silva MuseumThe Nogueira da Silva Museum is located in Braga, Portugal.The museum consists of the legacy bequeathed by the entrepreneur Nogueira da Silva to the University of Minho...
- Pius XII MuseumPius XII MuseumThe Pius XII Museum is located in Braga, Portugal, in the same building of the Museum Medina, as the name from the Pope Pius XII....
- D. Diogo de Sousa MuseumD. Diogo de Sousa MuseumThe D. Diogo de Sousa Museum is located in Braga, Portugal.The Museum was founded in 1918 and moved to the new house in 2007 June 29.The Museum is housed in a specially designed building in the center of what was the Roman City of Bracara Augusta....
- Stringed Instruments MuseumStringed Instruments MuseumThe Stringed Instruments Museum in Portuguese: Museu dos Cordofones is located in Tebosa, in the surroundings of the city of Braga, Portugal dedicated to traditional Portuguese String instruments....
Others
- Idol's FountainIdol's FountainThe Fountain of the Idol is a Roman fountain located in the civil parish of São José de São Lázaro, in the municipality of Braga, northern Portugal...
(Fonte do Ídolo, 1st century AD): RomanAncient RomeAncient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
fountain dedicated to an indigenous god, TongoenabiagusTongoenabiagusTongoenabiagus was the god of the Fonte do Ídolo , a 1st century shrine in Braga with inscriptions in a Celtic language, a fountain shrine dedicated both to Tongoenabiagus and the goddess Nabia...
. Bears reliefs and inscriptions. - Tower of Braga CastleBraga CastleBraga Castle is a historical building in Braga, freguesia of São João do Souto, District of Braga, in Portugal; only a small section of the original structure remains today....
(14th century): GothicGothic architectureGothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
tower left from the ancient castle of the city. - Coimbras ChapelCoimbras ChapelThe Chapel of the Coimbras is a Manueline chapel located in the civil parish of São João do Souto, in the municipality of Braga.-History:The chapel had its base in the ecclesiastical residence of the Coimbras family, and its patriarch D. João de Coimbra, who purchased this home in 1505...
(Capela dos Coimbras, early 16th century): Richly decorated chapel in RenaissanceRenaissanceThe Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
and ManuelineManuelineThe Manueline, or Portuguese late Gothic, is the sumptuous, composite Portuguese style of architectural ornamentation of the first decades of the 16th century, incorporating maritime elements and representations of the discoveries brought from the voyages of Vasco da Gama and Pedro Álvares Cabral...
styles. - Archbishop's Palace of Braga, or Archiepiscopal Court, (Paço Arquiepiscopal) (14th–18th centuries): GothicGothic architectureGothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
, Mannerist and BaroqueBaroqueThe Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
wings. Houses the LibraryLibraryIn a traditional sense, a library is a large collection of books, and can refer to the place in which the collection is housed. Today, the term can refer to any collection, including digital sources, resources, and services...
of the City. - New City GateArco da Porta NovaThe Arco da Porta Nova , is a Baroque and Neoclassical arch, designed by André Soares in the late 18th century, in the civil parish of Sé, municipality of Braga, in northern Portugal...
(Arco da Porta Nova, 18th century): Beautiful baroque-style city gate that substituted an earlier Gothic gate. - Braga Town HallBraga Town HallThe Braga Town Hall is a landmark building located in Sé parish in the heart of Braga, Portugal. In there is located the headquarters of the Câmara Municipal, the city local government....
(18th century): BaroqueBaroqueThe Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
building. - Raio PalaceRaio PalaceThe Raio Palace, in Portuguese Palácio do Raio, is a palace in Braga, Portugal.Constructed in 1754 according to a project from the architect André Soares, who introduced in Braga the new Baroque tendency....
(18th century): Baroque-RococoRococoRococo , also referred to as "Late Baroque", is an 18th-century style which developed as Baroque artists gave up their symmetry and became increasingly ornate, florid, and playful...
urban palace with richly decorated façade. - Circus TheatreTheatro CircoThe Theatro Circo is a theater in Braga, Portugal. Designed by the architect Moura Coutinho, it was inaugurated on April 21 1915 with Leoncavallo's operetta La reginetta delle rose....
(Theatro Circo, 20th century) the most famous theater in Braga - Santa Barbara GardenSanta Barbara GardenThe Santa Barbara Garden is a garden in Braga, Portugal.It is close to the eastern wing of the Archbishop's Palace of Braga...
(Jardim de Santa Bárbara) - Aguas Ferreas FountainAguas Ferreas FountainThe Aguas Ferreas Fountain is a fountain located in Fraião, city of Braga, Portugal.It was built in 1773, is one of the first works from Carlos Amarante....
- Campo das Hortas FountainCampo das Hortas FountainThe Campo das Hortas Fountain is a fountain located in Sé, city of Braga, Portugal.It was built in the end of the 16th century by the Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Braga Agostinho de Jesus....
- Sieves HouseSieves HouseThe Sieves House is a 16th century house in São João do Souto, Braga, Portugal.Nowadays is the only example of the type of house peculiar to the town in the 16th century....
(Casa dos Crivos)
Outside the city centre
- Bom Jesus do Monte SanctuaryBom Jesus do Montethumb|250px|Stairway and church of Bom Jesus do Monte.Bom Jesus do Monte is a Portuguese sanctuary in Tenões, surroundings of the city of Braga, in northern Portugal. Its name means Good Jesus of the Mount....
(18th-early 19th century): NeoclassicNeoclassical architectureNeoclassical architecture was an architectural style produced by the neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century, manifested both in its details as a reaction against the Rococo style of naturalistic ornament, and in its architectural formulas as an outgrowth of some classicizing...
church with a magnificent Baroque stairway and Bom Jesus funicularBom Jesus funicularThe Bom Jesus funicular is a funicular located in Bom Jesus do Monte, city of Braga, Portugal.The funicular was built in 1882 by Niklaus Riggenbach and is the oldest in the Iberian Peninsula....
, the oldest in Iberian PeninsulaIberian PeninsulaThe Iberian Peninsula , sometimes called Iberia, is located in the extreme southwest of Europe and includes the modern-day sovereign states of Spain, Portugal and Andorra, as well as the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar...
. Located in the city surroundings. - Falperra ChurchFalperra ChurchFalperra Church or the Church of Santa Maria Madalena is a rococo church located in the Falperra mountains, outside of Braga, Portugal....
(18th century): Good example of BaroqueBaroqueThe Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
architecture with pentagonal floorplan and RococoRococoRococo , also referred to as "Late Baroque", is an 18th-century style which developed as Baroque artists gave up their symmetry and became increasingly ornate, florid, and playful...
façade. - Monastery of TibãesMonastery of TibãesThe Monastery of St Martin of Tibães is a monastery situated in the parish of Mire de Tibães, near Braga, in northern Portugal. It was the mother house of the Benedictine order in Portugal and Brazil, and it is known for the exuberant Rococo decoration of its church.-History:The first information...
(17th–18th centuries): BenedictineBenedictineBenedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
monastery of great artistic importance in Portugal. Notable inner gilt work. - Sameiro SanctuarySameiro SanctuaryThe Sameiro Sanctuary is a sanctuary located in Braga, in the surroundings of the city of Braga, Portugal.Construction was begun on 14 July 1863 on the domed church of Nossa Senhora do Sameiro . The founder of the shrine was the Vicar of Braga, Padre Antonio Martinho Pereira da Silva...
(19th–20th centuries): Important pilgrimagePilgrimageA pilgrimage is a journey or search of great moral or spiritual significance. Typically, it is a journey to a shrine or other location of importance to a person's beliefs and faith...
centre dedicated to the Virgin Mary. - Braga Municipal StadiumEstádio Municipal de BragaEstádio Municipal de Braga is a football stadium in Braga, Portugal, with an all-seated capacity of 30,154, built in 2003 as the new home for local club Sporting Clube de Braga, and as a UEFA Euro 2004 venue. Its architect was Portuguese Eduardo Souto de Moura...
, carved out of the Monte Castro hill that overlooks the city. - Saint Frutuoso ChapelSaint Frutuoso ChapelThe Chapel of São Frutuoso , also known as the Chapel of São Frutuoso of Montélios or the Chapel of São Salvador of Montélios , is a pre-Romanesque chapel in the civil parish of Real, municipality of Braga. It is part of group of religious buildings that include the Royal Church, and originally...
, pre-Romanesque ChapelChapelA chapel is a building used by Christians as a place of fellowship and worship. It may be part of a larger structure or complex, such as a church, college, hospital, palace, prison or funeral home, located on board a military or commercial ship, or it may be an entirely free-standing building,...
built in the 7th Century. - Saint Eulalia ChurchSaint Eulalia ChurchThe Saint Eulália Church is a Romanesque Portuguese church in Tenões, Braga, Portugal, near Bom Jesus.The church is dedicated to Saint Eulalia.It is classified by IPPAR. since 1967.-References:...
, RomanesqueRomanesque artRomanesque art refers to the art of Western Europe from approximately 1000 AD to the rise of the Gothic style in the 13th century, or later, depending on region. The preceding period is increasingly known as the Pre-Romanesque...
church, near Bom JesusBom Jesus do Montethumb|250px|Stairway and church of Bom Jesus do Monte.Bom Jesus do Monte is a Portuguese sanctuary in Tenões, surroundings of the city of Braga, in northern Portugal. Its name means Good Jesus of the Mount....
. - Chamor HillChamor HillChamor Hill is a hill located in São Mamede de Este, Braga, Portugal.On the top ot the hill, there is a monument to the Sacred Heart erected in 1957 with 20 meters high. The marble statue of Christ holds on the right hand the Chalice and the left hand is pointing to his hearth....
, with a monument to the Sacred HeartSacred HeartThe Sacred Heart is one of the most famous religious devotions to Jesus' physical heart as the representation of His divine love for Humanity....
which is 20 meters high. - Seven SourcesSete Fontes (Braga)Sete Fontes is part of a water supply system built in mid-18th century that supplied potable water to the city of Braga, Portugal until the first half of the 20th century...
, the old potable water supply system. - Dona Chica CastleDona Chica CastleDona Chica Castle is a neo-romantic castle and/or palace located in Palmeira, Braga, Portugal.Architect Ernesto Korrodi was the author of the project for the construction of the palace, which took place in the beginning of the 20th century....
, a romantic Castle in PalmeiraPalmeira (Braga)Palmeira is a Portuguese parish, located in the municipality of Braga. It has a population of 4 594 inhabitants and a total area of 8.72 km².It located near the Cávado river,on the Southside of river,about 5 miles North from the historic center of the city of Braga.The Braga municipal airport ...
, from the architect Ernesto KorrodiErnesto KorrodiErnesto Korrodi , was a Swiss born architect who moved to Portugal when 19 years old, living the rest of his life there.He later adopted Portuguese citizenship, and married a Portuguese woman...
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City Overviews
Commerce, business and transportation
Education, science and technology
The city is the headquarters and main campus for the Universidade do Minho (Minho University), a public universityPublic university
A public university is a university that is predominantly funded by public means through a national or subnational government, as opposed to private universities. A national university may or may not be considered a public university, depending on regions...
founded in 1973. In the city was established also, in 1967, a branch of the oldest private university
Private university
Private universities are universities not operated by governments, although many receive public subsidies, especially in the form of tax breaks and public student loans and grants. Depending on their location, private universities may be subject to government regulation. Private universities are...
of Portugal, the Universidade Católica Portuguesa at Braga.
In the late 2000s a major international research centre was founded in the city – the International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory
International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory
International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory , in Braga, Portugal, is the first, and so far the only, fully international research organization in Europe in the field of nanoscience and nanotechnology...
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Sports
Braga's football team, Sporting Clube de Braga, was founded in 1921 and play in the top division of Portuguese football, the Liga Sagres.The Rampa da Falperra, a round of the European Hillclimb Championship, is held every year in the outskirts of the city.
The Circuito Vasco Sameiro
Circuito Vasco Sameiro
The Circuito de Velocidade Vasco Sameiro is a racing circuit located 6 km north of Braga, Portugal at Palmeira....
and adjacent the Kartódromo Internacional de Braga are located around the local airfield. The racing track held European Touring Car Cup
European Touring Car Cup
The FIA European Touring Car Cup is an annual touring car racing event, which has been held at various locations across Europe since 2005. Unlike in previous years where it was a one-off event, for 2010 the series is a three round event.-History:...
events in 2009 and 2010, and the KIB has held rounds of the Karting World Championship
Karting World Championship
The Karting World Championship is ruled by the CIK-FIA. It takes place once a year, each year in a different country, and is kart racing's flagship event. Starting 2011, the championship will be disputed on five rounds, each of them in a different country....
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Famous citizens
- Paulus Orosius (c.385–c.420): Important historianHistorianA historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
and theologueTheologyTheology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
from the Braga diocese, friend of St. AugustineAugustine of HippoAugustine of Hippo , also known as Augustine, St. Augustine, St. Austin, St. Augoustinos, Blessed Augustine, or St. Augustine the Blessed, was Bishop of Hippo Regius . He was a Latin-speaking philosopher and theologian who lived in the Roman Africa Province...
. - Martin of BragaMartin of BragaSaint Martin of Braga was an archbishop of Bracara Augusta in Hispania , a monastic founder, and an ecclesiastical author...
(c.520 – 580): Bishop of Braga that converted the Suevi to CatholicismCatholicismCatholicism is a broad term for the body of the Catholic faith, its theologies and doctrines, its liturgical, ethical, spiritual, and behavioral characteristics, as well as a religious people as a whole....
. - Diogo de Sousa (c.1461–1532): Archbishop of Braga after 1505. A great sponsor of the arts, he remodelled the Cathedral and promoted the urbanisation of the city following Renaissance models. He also founded several churches and an important school (the São Paulo School).
- Francisco SanchesFrancisco SanchesFrancisco Sanches was a Portuguese philosopher and physician of Sephardi Jewish origin.-Early life and academic career:...
(1550–1623): 16th-century physician born in the Braga diocese and educated in universities in France and Italy. - André SoaresAndré SoaresAndré Soares Ribeiro da Silva, more commonly known as André Soares was a leading Portuguese sculptor and architect active in Northern Portugal during the 18th century....
(1720–1769): 18th century architect, designed several important Rococo buildings in Braga and Northern Portugal. - Irmã Maria Estrela Divina,religious and stigmatic woman.Buried in Braga Cathedral.
- Domingos Leite Pereira: PortuguesePortuguese peopleThe Portuguese are a nation and ethnic group native to the country of Portugal, in the west of the Iberian peninsula of south-west Europe. Their language is Portuguese, and Roman Catholicism is the predominant religion....
politician of the Portuguese First RepublicPortuguese First RepublicThe Portuguese First Republic spans a complex 16 year period in the history of Portugal, between the end of the period of constitutional monarchy marked by the 5 October 1910 revolution and the 28 May coup d'état of 1926...
. - Maria Ondina Braga (1932-2003) escritora e cosmopolita
- António VariaçõesAntónio VariaçõesAntónio Joaquim Rodrigues Ribeiro, was a Portuguese singer and songwriter. Despite his short-lived career, due to his premature death at the age of thirty-nine, he would, under the stage name of António Variações, become one of the most culturally significant performing artists of recent...
(1944-1984) innovative pop composer and singer - Marie MyriamMarie MyriamMarie Myriam is a French singer of Portuguese origins...
(born Myriam Lopes in Braga,8 of May 1957) french singer of Portuguese origin,winner of 1977 Eurovision Song ContestEurovision Song ContestThe Eurovision Song Contest is an annual competition held among active member countries of the European Broadcasting Union .Each member country submits a song to be performed on live television and then casts votes for the other countries' songs to determine the most popular song in the competition...
with "L`Oiseau et L`Enfant" ("The Bird and the Child"), written by Jean Paul Cara and Joe Grace.
Parishes
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Palmeira (Braga) Palmeira is a Portuguese parish, located in the municipality of Braga. It has a population of 4 594 inhabitants and a total area of 8.72 km².It located near the Cávado river,on the Southside of river,about 5 miles North from the historic center of the city of Braga.The Braga municipal airport ... Panóias (Braga) Panóias is a Portuguese parish, located in the municipality of Braga. It has a population of 1 630 inhabitants and a total area of 1.15 km².... Parada de Tibães Parada de Tibães is a Portuguese parish, located in the municipality of Braga. It has a population of 798 inhabitants and a total area of 1.4 km².... Pedralva (Braga) Pedralva is a Portuguese parish, located in the municipality of Braga. It has a population of 1 150 inhabitants and a total area of 8.2 km².... Pousada (Braga) São Paio de Pousada is a Portuguese parish, located in the municipality of Braga. It has a population of 474 inhabitants and a total area of 3.04 km².... Priscos Priscos is a Portuguese parish, located in the municipality of Braga. It has a population of 1 301 inhabitants and a total area of 3.72 km².... Real (Braga) São Jerónimo de Real is a Portuguese parish, located in the municipality of Braga. It has a population of 4 871 inhabitants and a total area of 1.32 km².-Main sights:*Saint Frutuoso Chapel... Ruilhe Ruilhe is a Portuguese parish, located in the municipality of Braga. It has a population of 1 306 inhabitants and a total area of 1.72 km².... Santa Lucrécia de Algeriz Santa Lucrécia de Algeriz is a Portuguese parish, located in the municipality of Braga. It has a population of 485 inhabitants and a total area of 4.49 km².... Santo Estêvão do Penso Santo Estêvão do Penso is a Portuguese parish, located in the municipality of Braga. It has a population of 400 inhabitants and a total area of 2.16 km².... São João do Souto São João do Souto is a Portuguese parish, located in the municipality of Braga. It has a population of 932 inhabitants and a total area of 0.22 km².... São José de São Lázaro São José de São Lázaro is a Portuguese parish, located in the municipality of Braga. It has a population of 14 830 inhabitants and a total area of 1.72 km².... São Julião dos Passos São Julião dos Passos is a Portuguese parish, located in the municipality of Braga. It has a population of 697 inhabitants and a total area of 1.96 km².... São Mamede de Este São Mamede de Este is a Portuguese parish, located in the municipality of Braga. It has a population of 1 709 inhabitants and a total area of 5.78 km².In São Mamede de Este is located the Chamor Hill.... São Pedro de Este São Pedro de Este is a Portuguese parish, located in the municipality of Braga. It has a population of 1 806 inhabitants and a total area of 4.09 km².... São Pedro de Merelim São Pedro de Merelim is a Portuguese parish, located in the city of Braga. It had a 2001 population of 1,710 inhabitants and a total area of 2.34 km², its density was 730.8/km².-Coat of arms:... São Pedro de Oliveira São Pedro de Oliveira is a Portuguese parish, located in the municipality of Braga. It has a population of 568 inhabitants and a total area of 2.87 km².... São Vicente (Braga) São Vicente is a Portuguese parish, located in the municipality of Braga. It has a population of 12 162 inhabitants and a total area of 1.42 km².... São Vicente do Penso São Vicente do Penso is a Portuguese parish, located in the municipality of Braga. It has a population of 366 inhabitants and a total area of 2.06 km².... São Vítor São Victor is a Portuguese parish, located in the municipality of Braga. It has a population of 25,407 and a total area of .-Main sights:*Sete Fontes... Sé (Braga) Sé is a Portuguese parish, located in the municipality of Braga. It has a population of 3,587 and a total area of .-Main sights:*Braga Cathedral with the Cathedral Treasure Museum*Arco da Porta Nova*Misericordia Church*Archbishop's Palace of Braga... Semelhe Semelhe is a Portuguese parish, located in the municipality of Braga. It has a population of 847 inhabitants and a total area of 3.48 km².... Sequeira Sequeira is a Portuguese parish, located in the municipality of Braga. It has a population of 2 031 inhabitants and a total area of 4.53 km².... Sobreposta Sobreposta is a Portuguese parish, located in the municipality of Braga. It has a population of 1 199 inhabitants and a total area of 5.07 km².... Tadim Tadim is a Portuguese parish, located in the municipality of Braga. It has a population of 886 inhabitants and a total area of 2.27 km².... Tebosa Tebosa is a Portuguese parish, located in the municipality of Braga. It has a population of 1 096 inhabitants and a total area of 2.66 km².-Main sights:*Stringed Instruments Museum... Tenões Tenões is a Portuguese parish, located in the municipality of Braga. It has a population of 1 067 inhabitants and a total area of 2.13 km².-Main sights:*Bom Jesus do Monte*Bom Jesus funicular*Saint Eulalia Church... Trandeiras Trandeiras is a Portuguese parish, located in the municipality of Braga. It has a population of 703 inhabitants and a total area of 0.85 km².... Vilaça (Braga) Vilaça is a Portuguese parish, located in the municipality of Braga. It has a population of 893 inhabitants and a total area of 2.39 km².... Vimieiro (Braga) Vimieiro is a Portuguese parish, located in Braga Municipality. It has a population of 1 131 inhabitants and a total area of 2.81 km².... |
Use in popular culture
Braga is the home of a professional QuidditchQuidditch
Quidditch is a fictional sport developed by British author J. K. Rowling for the Harry Potter series of novels. It is described as an extremely rough, but very popular, semi-contact sport, played by wizards and witches around the world...
team, the Braga Broomfleet, operating within the fictional Harry Potter universe
Harry Potter universe
The fictional universe of J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series of fantasy novels comprises two separate and distinct societies: the wizarding world and the Muggle world...
.
Twin towns — Sister cities
Braga is twinnedTown twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...
with: Astorga
Astorga, Spain
Astorga is a town in the province of León, northern Spain. It lies southwest of the provincial capital of León, and is the head of the council of La Maragatería. The river Tuerto flows through it. , its population was about 12,100 people....
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
Bissorã
Bissorã
Bissorã is a town located in the Oio Region of Guinea-Bissau.Population 11,964 .-History:After the abrupt independence from Portugal in 1974 due to the Lisbon's Carnation Revolution, many of the Guinean black soldiers that served in the Portuguese Army and who had fought against the independence...
, Guinea-Bissau
Guinea-Bissau
The Republic of Guinea-Bissau is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Senegal to the north, and Guinea to the south and east, with the Atlantic Ocean to its west....
Clermont-Ferrand
Clermont-Ferrand
Clermont-Ferrand is a city and commune of France, in the Auvergne region, with a population of 140,700 . Its metropolitan area had 409,558 inhabitants at the 1999 census. It is the prefecture of the Puy-de-Dôme department...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
Puteaux
Puteaux
Puteaux is a commune in the western suburbs of Paris, France. It is located in the heart of the Hauts-de-Seine department from the center of Paris....
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
Santo André, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
São Nicolau
São Nicolau
São Nicolau is one of the Barlavento islands of Cape Verde. It is located between the islands of Santa Luzia and Sal. Its population is 12,864, with an area of 388 km². Its economy consists mainly of agriculture as well as fishing and tourism near its beaches. Much of the population is rural...
, Cape Verde
Cape Verde
The Republic of Cape Verde is an island country, spanning an archipelago of 10 islands located in the central Atlantic Ocean, 570 kilometres off the coast of Western Africa...
See also
- A BrasileiraA Brasileira (Braga)A Brasileira is a café in Braga. It is located on the Largo Barão de São Martinho, in the historic city ....
one of the oldest and most famous caféCaféA café , also spelled cafe, in most countries refers to an establishment which focuses on serving coffee, like an American coffeehouse. In the United States, it may refer to an informal restaurant, offering a range of hot meals and made-to-order sandwiches...
s in Braga. - Councils of BragaCouncils of BragaMany church councils were held in Braga in the Middle Ages. Braga was the metropolitan of an ecclesiastical province and it was the chief bishopric of the Kingdom of Galicia during the Suevic period and in the High Middle Ages....
- Escola Secundária Sá de MirandaEscola Secundária Sá de MirandaEscola Secundária Sá de Miranda is a Public school, located in São Vicente, Braga, Portugal.-History:The school was founded in 1836 by Passos Manuel as "Liceu de Braga". It was renamed in 1912 in Homage to the poet Francisco de Sá de Miranda.-External links:...
the oldest Secondary schoolSecondary schoolSecondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
in Braga
