Braga District: Editor's Choice

This selection highlights the architectural and historical heritage of the Braga District, centered around its religious and medieval landmarks. It features the UNESCO-listed Bom Jesus do Monte with its 19th-century water-balanced funicular and the 11th-century Braga Cathedral, the oldest in Portugal. The list includes the medieval Guimarães Castle, known as the cradle of the nation, and the pre-Romanesque Chapel of São Frutuoso. Visitors can also explore Roman relics at the Fonte do Ídolo and the legendary Ponte da Misarela.

yuka HAYASHI / CC BY 2.0

A

Bom Jesús do Monte

A beautiful hill-top sanctuary with a peculiar zigzag-shaped stairway leading to it, adorned with gorgeous fountains.

Petr Koutný / CC-BY-SA

B

Elevador do Bom Jesus do Monte

The oldest funicular in the world still using a water-balance counterweight system. Opened in 1882, it transports visitors up the 116-meter slope to the Bom Jesus sanctuary.

jad99 / CC BY-SA 2.0

C

Braga Cathedral

Historically, this church is one of the most important buildings in Braga, if not in the country.

sarahkassim / CC BY 2.0

D

Guimarães Castle

The Castle of Guimarães, is the principal medieval castle in the municipality Guimarães, in the northern region of Portugal.

João Carvalho / CC BY-SA 3.0

E

Chapel of São Frutuoso

The Chapel of São Frutuoso, also known as the Chapel of São Frutuoso of Montélios or the Chapel of São Salvador of Montélios, is a pre…

Sara silva / CC BY-SA 3.0

F

Arco da Porta Nova

The Arch of the New Gate is a Baroque and Neoclassical arch, designed by André Soares in the late 18th century, in the civil parish of Sé,…

Nuno Lopes / CC-BY-SA

G

Ponte da Misarela

A medieval granite bridge crossing the Rabagão River. Associated with local legends, this single-arch structure dates back to the Middle Ages and was strategically significant during the Napoleonic invasions.

Joseolgon / CC BY-SA 3.0

H

Fonte do Ídolo

A 1st-century Roman fountain and sanctuary carved into granite. It contains inscriptions and relief figures dedicated to the Lusitanian-Roman deities Tongoenabiagus and Nabia.