Guimareas and Braga

Guimaraes

The old medieval center of Guimaraes was declared as a world heritage site by UNESCO in 2001 and is therefore protected. On one of the old squares Largo de Oliveira is the strange monument where, according to legend, the Visigoths king stuck a spear in the ground.

Now there is a small temple house with a spear. But Guimaraes has more very impressive old squares in its inner city. On one of the hills around the city stands the Paco dos Duques palace. It was here that court was held from 1401 and after some renovations also old dicatator Salazar ruled the country.

Where Castelo y igreja de Sao Miquel do Castelo is now, "Alfonso Henriques" was born.

Citania Britanica

About halfway between the cities of Braga and Guimaraes (15 km from Guimaraes) lies the old Celtic settlement Citania Britanica on a hill. This ancient archaeological site was a fortified hill of about 2500 years old. It is said that this maybe this place was in the year 300 BC the last stronghold against the Roman invaders.

At the height there would have been some 150 Celtic huts here - now you can see the foundations of many houses and buildings and they reconstructed two huts like the way they should have looked like.

There is a museum (3 euro entrance) but you can also ask only to view the site (1.50 euro). Do not go too late because it is getting very hot on the hill with not so much shade. 

Braga and around

The heart of the city of Braga is located on the central square Praca de Republica where once a fortified medieval castle stood. Now it is a meeting place (especially in the evening) when the square is lit and full of terraces of cafes and restaurants.

In Se Cathedral there is also a chapel next to the church and in the cellars you can see the graves of the parents of the first Portuguese king. Would you like something other than stone and bricks then walk than to the beautiful Jardim de Santa Barbara where an oasis of peace reigns.  

Southeast (about 5 km) from the city are three important holy places in the mountains, namely Bom Jesus, Sameiro and Falperra. Many pilgrims come to Bom Jesus to admire the stairs (Escadaria do Bom Jesus).

Both cities have an interesting history; Braga had long been inhabited by Celtic tribes when the Romans arrived here. They founded "Bracara Augustus" (named after the Roman emperor) and the city became the capital of the province "Lusitania" partly because there went five important (trade)routes through it.

The "Sueven" tribe and then the Visigoths took over the city when the Roman Empire collapsed. Around the year 716 the city came into the possession of the Muslims of Al-Andalus. In 753 Alfons I of Asturias took the city.

In 985 Al-Mansur ibn Abi Aamir recaptured the city. Muslim rule lasted until 1040 when King Ferdinand I of Castile conquered the city. From 1093 to 1147 it was the residence of the Portuguese court. It was not surprising that the old dictator "Salazar" chose the conservative "Braga" to give an outspoken speech full of Catholicism and Fascism what the introduction of his military coup in 1926 was. 

The history of Guimaraes starts much later - the county of the city was founded in the year 868. As the first capital of Portugal, Guimarães stood at the cradle of the new land. In this city, Duke Afonso Henriques (Alfons I of Portugal) proclaimed the Portuguese independence of the Kingdom of León. Afonso proclaimed himself the first Prince of Portugal and in 1139 as the first King of Portugal. In 1143 Portugal was officially recognized at the Zamora conference and in 1179 Afonso I was proclaimed king by the Pope. After the Battle of São Mamede became the first capital Guimarães. Later the king ruled from Coimbra.