Braga Cathedral

Braga Cathedral tickets: which one to buy

Braga Cathedral stands in the centre of Braga, in northern Portugal, about an hour from Porto by train, and entry to the church is free, while a combined ticket covers the Treasury Museum, the high choir with its twin organs and the chapels, including the Chapel of the Kings. It is the oldest cathedral in Portugal and the seat of the archbishops of Braga, who were once rivals of Toledo and Santiago for primacy in the Iberian Peninsula.

Braga is known as the religious capital of Portugal, and visitors often combine the cathedral with the Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Monte and its famous staircase, the Sameiro Sanctuary, the Garden of Santa Bárbara and the Biscainhos Palace. Walking tours of Braga cover the cathedral and the old town's churches. The cathedral is active, and visiting pauses during services. Guided tours of the high choir and chapels leave at set times from the ticket office.

Visiting Braga Cathedral: what to see

The cathedral was begun in the late eleventh century, after Braga was restored as a diocese, under Bishop Pedro, on the site of earlier churches, and it was built in the Romanesque style, later expanded and decorated in Gothic, Manueline and baroque styles, so it is a mixture of many periods. The Galilee porch, at the entrance, was added in the late fifteenth century. The high choir holds two magnificent baroque organs from the eighteenth century, decorated with gilded carvings. The Chapel of the Kings holds the tombs of Count Henry of Burgundy and his wife Teresa, the parents of Afonso Henriques, the first king of Portugal. The Chapel of Glory, built in the fourteenth century, holds the tomb of Archbishop Gonçalo Pereira, with painted Mudéjar decoration.

The Treasury Museum displays chalices, vestments, carved ivory caskets and religious art, including a Moorish casket from the tenth century. The cathedral's south portal preserves Romanesque carvings, including scenes of the Reynard the Fox fable. The Chapel of Our Lady of Piety holds the tomb of Archbishop Diogo de Sousa. The high choir's gilded wooden stalls and organs are among the finest baroque woodwork in Portugal. The Treasury Museum includes the chalice of Saint Gerald and a cross said to have been used at the first mass in Brazil. The cathedral's cloister holds tombs and chapels. The main chapel's altar is Manueline in style. The cathedral's bell towers rise above the old town.

Braga Cathedral opening hours and the best time to go

The cathedral is open daily, with a break at lunchtime, and the museum keeps set hours. Braga is famous for its Holy Week celebrations, with processions and decorations that fill the city, and the São João festival in June, one of the biggest in Portugal. Summer is warm, and spring and autumn are pleasant. Allow about an hour for the cathedral and museum, and take a bus or the funicular to Bom Jesus do Monte. The Garden of Santa Bárbara, beside the medieval wing of the Archbishop's Palace, is full of flowers in spring and summer.