{"id":11414,"date":"2023-01-17T12:50:56","date_gmt":"2023-01-17T12:50:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ulysses.travel\/cathedral-of-braga\/"},"modified":"2023-11-20T10:48:51","modified_gmt":"2023-11-20T10:48:51","slug":"cathedral-of-braga","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ulysses.travel\/en\/cathedral-of-braga\/","title":{"rendered":"The Cathedral of Braga (S\u00e9 de Braga)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Located in the heart of the city’s historic center, Braga Cathedral (S\u00e9 de Braga<\/em> in Portuguese) is the oldest cathedral in the country. It is also one of the most emblematic religious buildings of the Iberian Peninsula.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Follow the guide!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\ud83d\udc4d The Captain’s tip \ud83d\udc4d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Want to know more about Braga’s history?<\/strong> Captain Ulysses warmly recommends t<\/span><\/a>his free tour of the city<\/a><\/span><\/mark> to visit Braga with a passionate guide. You’re free to choose how much you wish to tip the tour guide at the end of the tour!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Want to know more about Braga’s top landmarks & monuments?<\/strong> Be sure to check out the Captain’s Guide to Braga<\/a>. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

A short history of the Cathedral of Braga<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Diocese of Braga<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Braga belongs to the very closed club of the oldest dioceses of the Iberian Peninsula! Created in the 3rd<\/sup> century BC, the diocese of Braga became the “headquarters” of the Christianization of the Province of Galicia in the following centuries. The Bishopric of Braga was created in the middle of the1s<\/sup>t century AD.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the 4th<\/sup> and the 5th century AD, the Roman Empire fell apart and Braga fell into the hands of the Suevi, Germanic invaders from Eastern Europe. For a century and a half, the missionaries of Braga lead a great evangelization campaign of the Suevi people, who converted to Catholicism in the middle of the 5th<\/sup> century.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But the Visigoths and the Moors also wanted their share of the cake. They, on the other hand, were little inclined to lend an attentive ear to the evangelists. Under their domination, Braga declined and lost its bishopric… until the 11th<\/sup> century.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 1071, the city was retaken by the Christians. The bishopric was re-established and then promoted to the rank of archbishopric less than half a century later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Archbishopric of Braga enjoyed great power over the north of the Iberian Peninsula and even had the attentive ear of the pope. In the 11th<\/sup> century, the Archbishop of Braga played a key role in the fight for Portuguese independence when he obtained the approval of Pope Alexander III. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Cathedral of Braga<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The construction of the Cathedral of Braga (S\u00e9 de Braga) began in the 1070s, when the city had just returned to Christian hands. Some historians believe that the building was built on the ruins of an ancient Roman temple.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Inspired by the Romanesque architecture of the Abbey of Cluny in Burgundy, the cathedral was consecrated in 1089, while the work was not yet completed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the following centuries, the Cathedral of Braga was modified and enlarged many times over: this explains why the building is so much o an architectural patchwork.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"Cathedral<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Braga<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Visiting the Cathedral of Braga<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The key word is “mix of genres”. The Cathedral of Braga blends Romanesque, Gothic, Moorish, Manueline and Baroque influences. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The exterior of the Cathedral of Braga<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Although the exterior of the Cathedral has been extensively remodeled since its construction, some original elements are still visible on the west fa\u00e7ade, including bas-reliefs that could be scenes from the Roman de Renart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Manueline towers (designed by the Portuguese architect Jo\u00e3o de Castilho) and the beautiful wrought iron gate are also worth seeing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"Braga<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Cathedral<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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The interior of the Cathedral of Braga<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The cathedral is well-known for its wealth of decorative elements. Among these, don’t miss:<\/p>\n\n\n\n