Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
( 9am-noon & 2-7pm)
Resplendent on a high rock is the 13th-century granite cathedral,
whose gloomy Renaissance facade conceals a splendid 16th-century interior, including an
impressive Manueline ceiling.
Panoramas of Viseu's historic centre are available from the upper gallery of the adja-
cent cloister. The lower level, handsome with tiles, Ionic columns, tombstone fragments
and round arches, is one of Portugal's earliest Italian Renaissance structures. Note the
amazing Romanesque-Gothic portal on one corner, rediscovered during restoration work
in 1918.
Stairs in the northern transept of the cathedral climb to the
Museu de Arte Sacra
. The mu-
seum itself is a lacklustre assemblage of vestments and religious paraphernalia, but its
lofty setting offers a nice perspective on the church's architecture.
bright rococo exterior contrasts markedly with its neoclassical, severe and rather dull in-
terior, which contains another museum and a treasury.
Museu Grão Vasco
(
www.imc-ip.pt
;
Adro da Sé; admission €4, Sun morning free; 2-5.30pm Tue, 10am-5.30pm Wed-Sun)
Adjoin-
ing the cathedral, the severe granite box of the Paço de Três Escalões (Palace of Three
Steps), was originally built as the bishop's palace. It's now a splendid museum featuring
Viseu's own Vasco Fernandes, known as Grão Vasco (the Great Vasco; 1480-1543) - one
of Portugal's seminal Renaissance painters.
There are two principal floors, one with religious art and 19th-century Portuguese
works (check out the moustached lady by José de Almeida Furtado). The top floor has
Vasco's majestic canvases and works of other bright lights of the so-called Viseu School.
Vasco's colleague, collaborator and rival Gaspar Vaz merits special attention. Together
they spurred each other on to produce some of Portugal's finest artwork. After five centur-
ies their rich colours and luminous style are still as striking as ever.
MUSEUM
NEIGHBOURHOOD
Around the Sé
North of the cathedral along Rua Silva Gaio is the longest remaining stretch of the old
