Braga Cathedral (Sé), Braga
Braga Cathedral's facade. Photo by Carolyn.
Photo by Fred Lopes.
Photo by Carolyn.
Choir (left) and huge gilded organ. Photos by Fred Lopes.
The nave of Braga Cathedral. Photo by Rui Magalhães.
Statue of the Virgin and Child. Photo by Fred Lopes.
The Cathedral of Braga (Portuguese: Sé de Braga) is one of the most important monuments in Braga. Due to its long history and artistic significance, it is also one of the most important buildings in all of Portugal.
History
The Diocese of Braga dates from the 3rd century AD. It is one of the oldest on the Iberian peninsula and was the center for the christianization of Gallaecia (Northwestern Iberia).
When Roman power was being dissolved by invading Germanic tribes, Braga (then called Bracara Augusta) became the capital of the Suebi Kingdom (409 to 584). Bishop Martin of Dumio, a great religious figure of the time, converted the Suebi to Catholicism around 550.
The importance of Braga diminished during Visigoth times, and after the arrival of the Arabs (716) it lost its status as a bishopric. But it was restored around 1071, after the city was back into Christian hands, and Bishop Pedro started to build a cathedral. This was consecrated in 1089 (only the Eastern chapels were finished).
In 1107, Count Henri de Bourgogne (Henry of Burgundy) and Bishop Geraldo de Moissac managed to convince the Pope to turn Braga into a powerful archbishopric, with authority over much of the surrounding area.
Construction on the cathedral was then resumed under Henri de Bourgogne and Dona Teresa, and continued throughout the 12th century. After he died, she was chased out of town because of an illicit love affair, but in death Henri and Teresa were reunited in their tombs in the Chapel of Kings.
What to See
The 12th-century building, in Romanesque style, influenced many other churches and monasteries in Portugal in that period. Since then, the exterior of the Sé has undergone many decorative and architectural changes. The north triple-arched facade is austere and dominating, with a large stone-laced Roman arch flanked by two smaller Gothic ones.
What appear to be the skeletons of cupolas top the facade's dual bell towers, which flank a lofty rooftop niche containing a larger-than-life statue of the Virgin and Child.
Under a carved baldachin in the apse is a statue of Our Lady of the Milk -- that is, the Virgin breast-feeding the infant Jesus. The statue is in the Manueline style but is somehow pious and restrained.
Inside you might think you've entered one of the darkest citadels of Christendom. If you can see them, the decorations are profuse. The interior has three aisles covered by a wooden roof, a transept and five Eastern chapels in the apse.
A high choir was added near the entrance of the cathedral in the baroque period. This choir is beautifully decorated with a painted ceiling and sculptured gilt wood (talha dourada) choir stalls executed around 1737 by Miguel Francisco da Silva.
In front of the high choir there are two huge 18th-century gilded organs, carved by renowed sculptor Marceliano de Araújo in the 1730's, heavily decorated with baroque and fantastic motifs. These are among the most impressive gilt wood works in Portugal.
The main chapel is roofed with stone rib vaulting and its walls are decorated with a 14th-century statue of the Virgin Mary (Nossa Senhora de Braga). During the remodelling of the chapel, Archbishop Diogo de Sousa also commissioned a stone altar, but most of it has been lost. The part still preserved is used as altar table and has beautiful reliefs of Christ and the Apostles. The choir stalls are neogothic.
The other chapels of the apse are decorated in baroque or neoclassical styles. The chapel of Saint Peter of Rates is particularly interesting, being decorated with typical blue-white tiles that tell the life of the saint. The author of the tiles is António de Oliveira Bernardes, one of the main 18th century-Portuguese tile painter.
In the Capela da Glória (1330) is the rich sarcophagus of Archbishop Dom Gonçalo Pereira, with an unctuous expression on his face. It was carved by order of the prelate.
Be sure to stop by the Cathedral Treasury and Museum of Sacred Art, an upstairs repository of Braga's most precious works of art. On display are elaborately carved choir stalls from the 18th century, embroidered vestments from the 16th to the 18th centuries, a 14th-century statue of the Virgin, and a Gothic chalice from the same period. An 18th-century silver-and-gilt monstrance adorned with diamonds is by Dom Gaspar de Bragança. In the cloister is a pietà.
Quick Facts
| Location: | Sé Primaz, rua Dom Paio Mendez |
| Contact: | 25/326-33-17 |
| Hours: | Daily 8:30am-6pm |
| Cost: | Free admission to Sé; to museum and treasury 2€, free for children under 12 |
Location Map
Below is a location map and aerial view of Braga Cathedral. Using the buttons on the left, zoom in for a closer look or zoom out to get your bearings. Click and drag the map to move around. For a larger view, see our Braga Map or get our free Google Earth download.
Sources
- Frommer's Portugal, 19th Edition
- Braga Cathedral - Wikipedia
