Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Sights
Paço dos Duques de Bragança
(Ducal Palace; Rua Conde D Henrique; adult/child €5/free; 10am-6pm)
Looming over the medieval city
on Guimarães' hilltop, with its crenulated towers and cylindrical brick chimneys, Paço
dos Duques was first built in 1401 and later pompously restored as a presidential residen-
ce for Salazar. Today it's open to visitors who can wander through the rooms, which house
a collection of Flemish tapestries, medieval weapons, a chapel with glittering stained-
glass windows and enormous tapestries which relate various episodes in the Portuguese
attempt to conquer North Africa.
PALACE
Castelo
( 10am- 6pm)
Built in the 11th century and still in fine form, the seven-towered
castle is thought to be the birthplace of the great man himself, Afonso Henriques. Walk
around the windswept ramparts of the castle and scale the narrow steps to the bird's-nest
heights of Countess Mumadona's keep.
CASTLE
CULTURAL BUILDING
Centro Cultural Vila Flor
( 253 424 700;
www.ccvf.pt
;
Avenida D Afonso Henriques 701)
CCVF kick-started the city's cultural
revival when it opened in 2005 in a striking modern building added onto a converted 18th-
century palace. Events at this culture powerhouse include movie screenings, cafe concerts,
theatre and art exhibits.
Platform for Arts and
Creativity
(adult/student €4/3; free Sun mornings; 10am-7pm)
For the 2012 European Capital of Culture, the
old market square was revamped into a multipurpose cultural centre inside a shimmering
three-floor metallic building that looks like a bunch of stacked-up boxes. Inside is a per-
manent exhibit by Portuguese painter José de Guimarães, with items from his private col-
lection of pre-Colombian, African and Chinese art. Check out the room called Spells, with
an impressive display of African masks.
CULTURAL BUILDING
Center for Art &
Architecture Affairs
CULTURAL BUILDING
