Churches of Braga, Portugal

Braga is a major religious destination with its epitome in the Holy Week. Dubbed as the "Portuguese Rome" or "City of the Archbishops", the city has a long tradition as a religious centre in the Northern Iberian Peninsula, even competing in importance and power with Santiago de Compostela in the Middle Ages. As the legend goes, it was established as a Bishopric in 45 AD, when Saint James, travelling through the region, ordered Saint Peter of Rates (also known as Saint Peter of Braga) to preach the Christian faith. By the 4th century AD, as the capital city of the Roman province of Gallaecia, it was a major centre of Christianization. It temporarily lost its statute during Muslim occupation which was immediately recovered after the Christian reconquest, as Braga has the oldest Cathedral in Portugal and is the oldest diocese in the country. Centuries later, in the 16th century, a visit to Rome by the Archbishop D. Diogo de Sousa inspired the renovation of the city and the construction of many churches. So, when leisure strolling in the historic centre don't miss the many churches that can be visited; also don't forget to visit the sanctuaries on the hilltops near Braga- Sameiro and the iconic Bom Jesus. 
Below are pictured: Church of S.Marcos, Church of Santa Cruz (Holy Cross), the Coimbra's Chapel, Church of Nossa Senhora-a-Branca, Church of Saint Victor and Church of Terceiros.
More information on religious Braga in the following links:
Bom Jesus
Cathedral
Congregados
Tibães

 Back to Braga
S. Marcos

   
  

Local: Braga, Portugal

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