Description of the attraction
The Bishop's Palace in Braga is rightfully at the top of the list of the most attractive places in the city. It is impossible to accurately classify the time period of this palace, since the reconstruction of the building took place from the 14th century to the 17th century. Today, the palace houses one of the oldest libraries in Portugal, which contains more than 10 thousand manuscripts and 300 thousand books. The palace also houses the Minho University administration and district archives.
The palace is located near the fortress-like Cathedral of Xie. The building was built at the end of the 14th century and was once the seat of bishops. The Bishop's Palace consists of three different buildings, each of which has its own characteristics and was built at different times. These buildings are made in Gothic, Baroque and Mannerist styles.
The east wing overlooks the garden of St. Barbara, which was founded in the 14th century, the west wing overlooks the Town Square and was built in the 18th century in the Portuguese Baroque style. The southern wing is bordered by Palace Square and consists of various buildings dating back to the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. In the north wing, which was built in 1160, there is a large and beautiful hall in which the archbishop used to receive his visitors, and there were also his chambers.
Over the long history of the palace, there have been many changes in its buildings. Following restoration work in the early 16th century, the palace became home to the Royal Lord Lieutenant Dovre. Then the main military warehouse of the city was located in the palace. Over the centuries, the palace was plundered several times and there were fires, but each time the building was rebuilt.
