Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
History & Culture
The region of Braga has been populated by humans for thousands of years, with archaeolo-
gical evidence suggesting settlements during the Megalithic era, Iron Age, and by the Celts.
The Romans first settled in the area around the second century BC and developed the city
of Bracara Augusta, becoming capital of the Roman area Conventus bracarensis in the 3
rd
Century. The city was then conquered by the Suebi, a Germanic people, in the 5
th
Century,
the Visigoths in the 6
th
Century, and the Moors in the 8
th
Century, before becoming the seat
of the Portuguese court in the 11
th
Century.
In the 12
th
Century, the city developed and expanded around the cathedral under the au-
thority of an archbishop. Although Braga's location inland meant it didn't benefit from the
Age of Discovery in the same way as many other Portuguese cities, Archbishop Diogo de
Sousa sponsored many urban renovations and the city continued to grow. The 18
th
Century
saw a major transformation of the city's buildings to a Baroque style which remains evid-
ent today.
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Bom Jesus Sanctuary