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Oporto - Minho - Braga - Guimarães
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Index:
OPORTO
Geography History Main monuments Cathedral Ribeira quay Church of San Francisco Stock
exchange Clérigos church Port wine lodges
BRAGA
History Cathedral The shrines
GUIMARÃES
Minho History Generalities Castle Martins Sarmento Museum Alberto Sampaio Regional Museum
Basilica of Nossa Senhora de Oliveira or Colegiada Penha São Torcato Citania de Briteiros Ducal Palace
(palace of the dukes of Braganza)
OPORTO
Geography
The second city in Portugal, in the north bank of Douro River, close to its mouth. It doesn't make sense to speak of the
number of inhabitants, which is said to be more than 350.000, because this city links with many of the surroundings to
the North, being almost impossible to establish limits and borders among them.
History
Already inhabited by prehistoric people, Oporto city owes its name to the Roman occupation, since the Romans called
it Portus (it means no more than port). Actually, in the south bank of Douro River, opposite to Porto, there is a city
called Gaia that also comes from the Roman name Cale, and these two cities, Portus and Cale, were the origin of the
name of the country, Portugal.
After the Romans came Sueves and Visigoths. In 716 the Muslim (the Arabs) invasion arrived to Oporto. In 750 it was
attacked by the Asturian king, Alphonse, being abandoned afterwards for one century. In the century IX was colonized
by the crusaders, and the county called Portucale was created. This county was donated in 1097 to the crusader
count Henry of Burgundy, the father of the 1st king of Portugal.
In the century XIV, the city was already an important port of the commercial sea routes between the Mediterranean and
North Europe. In 1415, the maritime expedition for the conquest of Ceuta leaves Oporto, giving meat to the sailors
being the inhabitants ate the tripe. That's where the name of the inhabitants comes from: the tripe eaters.
In the XVIII century begins the Port wine export to England in exchange for the import of English textiles. Port wine fame
abroad comes from this event.
After the French invasions, Oporto was a frenzied supporter of the liberalism, which led the Absolutist Monarchy to the
fall, the independence of Brazil, to the fall of the Monarchy as a whole and to the beginning of the Republic.
Main monuments
Oporto is a city, as many in the North of Portugal, with immense constructions in granite, that in spite of giving the city
a dark look, it also gives a certain charm.
Cathedral
Robust construction of the XII century, with deep modifications of the XVII and XVIII centuries.
Ribeira quay
Close to the river, the most typical district, with narrow streets and multicoloured houses.
Church of San Francisco
Church of the XIV century with a rich interior decoration in gilt woodwork of the XVII and XVIII centuries.
Stock exchange
It's a XIX century Palace. The most interesting room is the Arab room, imitating Alhambra of Granada.
Clérigos church
XVIII century church, with one of the symbols of Oporto: Clérigos tower, 76 meters high, all in granite.
Port wine lodges
In the south bank of Douro river.
BRAGA
History
It was called Bracara Augusta by the romans. In the V century, the Sueves made it their capital. Then came the
Visigoths and the Moors (Arabs).
It was after the reconquest, as the capital of an archdiocese, that Braga regained its importance as a religious city.
During the Renaissance and Baroque periods, many beautiful buildings were made.
Braga is today a city of strong religious traditions. Anyway, all the north of the country is strongly Catholic and this is
the capital of that religious feeling.
Cathedral
Among other churches, this is one of the symbols of Portuguese Christianity. The Romanesque structure was much
altered in the following periods, namely the Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque era.
It's in the King's Chapel that lie the tombs of the 1st king of Portugal parents: count Henry of Burgundy and his wife
Teresa.
The shrines
To the North of Braga, in a hilly place, we have at the top of the mounts, Sanctuaries of pilgrimage. The most famous
ones are Bom Jesus do Monte and Monte Sameiro.
GUIMARÃES
History
Minho is a very old province and has been inhabited by different peoples since the Palaeolithic age. In the Iron Age the
Celts settled in the province and during the roman occupation many of the castros (pre-historic town) were still
inhabited.
In the 5th century all Minho was occupied by the Barbarians. In the 6th century the Suevian king was converted to
Christianity by St Martin of Dume. Later came the Visigoths, which were also converted. The Arab influence was not
very relevant here.
It was countess Mumadona, in the 10th century, who laid the foundations of Guimarães. She founded a Benedictine
monastery (which later became the "Colegiada", a famous pilgrimage centre until the 14th century) and built a castle
which was called Vimaranis (probably a Visigoth name from the legendary warrior of the 9th century, Vimara Peres,
who is said to have disembarked at Oporto to occupy the ruins of Portus-cale. He has a statue in Oporto, near the
cathedral).
In the 11th century Minho belonged to the so-called Portucalense County. These lands were offered to count Henry of
Burgundy as a reward for fighting against the Moors.
In the 12th century A. Henry was born in Guimarães. He made later on Guimarães the first capital of Portugal. That's
why it is said that Guimarães is the cradle of Portugal.
Guimarães was prosperous in the 17th and 18th centuries and that's why we see lots of baroque-fronted houses.
Generalities
With more than 30.000 inhabitants. Industries: cutlery, machine tools, textiles, flax spinneries, cotton manufactures and
shoes. It has some Universities. It's 243 m high on the foot of Saint Catherine Mountain.
Castle
Founded in the second half of the 10th century. Later became the residence of Count Henry of Burgundy. His son, A.
Henry, was born here in 1109. Rebuilt in 1940. Near we can see the statue of Alphonse Henry. Between the castle and
the palace of the dukes of Braganza is the small chapel of St Michael where A. Henry was baptized. Curious to mention
that this chapel is under the Vatican and not under the local parish.
Martins Sarmento Museum
Countless objects found in the citanias of the north of Portugal.
Alberto Sampaio Regional Museum (near the Basilica of Nossa Senhora de Oliveira or Colegiada)
Remarkable collection of regional art and the treasure of the church Colegiada.
Among others:
-12th century Romanesque chalice in gilt silver.
-Portable altar (triptych) representing the Nativity with silver bas-reliefs, unique example of the 14th century peninsular
silversmith art, dedicated to Our Lady of Guimarães by John I, who, during Aljubarrota, vowed to present Our Lady of
the Olive Tree his weight in precious metal.
Basilica of Nossa Senhora de Oliveira or Colegiada.
Formerly a collegiate church founded in the 10th century by countess Mumadona. Rebuilt by count Henry of Burgundy,
Alphonse I and John I (to commemorate Aljubarrota).
The name of Our Lady of The Olive Tree is connected with the following legend: when Wamba was chosen king of the
Goths he said he would accept the title only when leaves grew on the blade of his sword. He dug it into the ground and
on the sword grew olive leaves. Penha
It's a pilgrimage place (like Bom Jesus in Braga) from where there is a nice view.
São Torcato
The nearest pilgrimage place, 4 miles from Guimarães.
Citania de Briteiros
A citania (name given to the city built by pre-historic people) inhabited since the pre-history till the roman period.
Ducal Palace (palace of the dukes of Braganza,16 km away from Guimarães)
The construction of the palace was ordered by Alphonse, the count of Barcelos, son of John I, in the mid-15th century.
Alphonse was first married to a daughter of N. A. Pereira and then to Constança de Noronha. The main architect was
probably a Norman.
The palace, which was the property of the House of Braganza, lost some importance when the Braganzas preferred
Vila Viçosa. In the 19th century it was converted into a barracks and was restored in 1940. It's now a museum of
furniture, tapestries, paintings, porcelain, etc.
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