Archiepiscopal Palace of Braga

Although one of the oldest dioceses in Portugal appeared in the third century, 1071 is considered the official date of the foundation of the Archdiocese of Braga. A little later, during the reign of Count Henry of Burgundy and his wife Theresa of Leon, the city was granted to the archbishops. About three centuries later, Archbishop Goncalo Pereira laid the foundation stone of the archbishop's palace. It was the beginning of the fascinating ancient history of one of the city's main attractions, the Archiepiscopal Palace of Braga, a magnificent example of medieval Portuguese architecture.

The palace was repeatedly expanded, rebuilt, and renovated over a period of six centuries until the beginning of the 20th century. So its appearance altered, as well as numerous interiors. The function of this majestic historical and cultural landmark of the ancient Portuguese city also changed as often as the interior decoration. Since the last bishops left it in 1911, there had been a courthouse, a city fire station, and even a military infantry regiment before the palace started to house the extensive collections of the D. Diogo de Sousa Museum of Archaeology, as well as the public library of Braga. Today, the Archiepiscopal Palace is an architectural ensemble of three buildings created at different times and in different architectural styles: Gothic and Portuguese Baroque.

The oldest preserved building is the east wing, overlooking the blooming Garden of Santa Barbara. The medieval palace still houses the public library and the city archives, as well as the rector's office of the famous University of Minho, one of the 400 best educational institutions in the world. Another notable attraction is the magnificent fountain with the figure of St. Barbara, the patron saint of Braga and the protector from natural disasters, installed right in the center of the lovely garden.