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'Braga' (pron. IPA []), a city and municipality in northwestern Portugal, is the capital of the district of Braga, the oldest archdiocese and one of the major cities of the country.
With a population of 109,460^[1] in the city proper, Braga is along with Coimbra the third largest "de facto" city of Portugal^[2] after the much larger Lisbon Metropolitan Area and Porto Metropolitan Area conurbations. Including the suburban parishes, the municipality has a total of 62 parishes and 170,858 inhabitants. Braga is also the center of the Greater Metropolitan Area of Minho with a population of 798,137 one of the fastest growing urban areas in the European Union. Under the Roman Empire, as 'Bracara Augusta', it was capital of the province Gallaecia.
The present Mayor is Francisco Mesquita Machado, elected from the Socialist Party.

Contents

History

Antiquity

Middle Ages

Modern Age

Main sights

Commerce, business and transportation

Sports

Famous citizens

Trivia

Sister cities

References

External links

History

:''For the Ecclesiastical history see Archbishopric of Braga''

Antiquity

The region of Braga has been inhabited since pre-historic times, and in the Iron Age the 'Bracari' people occupied the region and built their characteristic fortified villages (castrum). It was the capital of the Callaici Bracarii, or Bracarenses, a tribe who occupied what is now Galicia and northern Portugal. The Romans began their conquest of the region around 136 BC, and during the times of Emperor Augustus (around the year 20 BC) the city of 'Bracara Augusta' was founded in the context of the administrative needs of the new Roman territory. Bracara was dedicated to the Emperor, hence its name Augusta.
The city of Bracara Augusta developed greatly during the 1st century and reached its maximum extension in the 2nd century. Towards the end of the 3rd century, Emperor Diocletianus promoted the city to the status of capital of the newly-founded province of Gallaecia.
During the times of the Germanic Invasions of the Iberian Peninsula, Roman power was dissolved and Bracara Augusta and the whole region of Gallaecia fell into the hands of the Sueves, a Germanic people from Central Europe. In 410, the Sueves established a Kingdom in the Northwest of Iberia and chose Bracara as capital. But about 485 it passed into the hands of the Visigothic conquerors of Spain, whose renunciation of the Arian and Priscillianist heresies, at two synods held here in the 6th century, marks the origin of its ecclesiastical greatness. The archbishops of Braga retain the title of primate of Portugal, and long claimed supremacy over the Spanish church also; but their authority was never accepted throughout Spain.
Braga had an important role in the Christianisation of the Iberian Peninsula. The first known bishop of Braga, ''Paternus'', lived in the end of the 4th century, although Saint Ovidius (d. 135 AD) is sometimes considered one of the first bishops of this city.[1] In the early 5th century, Paulus Orosius, a friend of Saint Augustine born in Braga, wrote several theological and historical works of great importance. In the 6th century a great figure was Saint Martin of Braga, a bishop of Braga who converted the Sueves from Arianism to Catholicism. He also founded an important monastery near Braga, in Dumio (''Dume''), now an archaeological site. Several Ecumenic Councils were held in Braga during this period, a sign of the religious importance of the city.

Middle Ages

The history of Braga during Visigothic and Arab times is very obscure and represent periods of decadence for the city. From the Moors, who captured Braga early in the 8th century, the city was retaken in 1040 by king Ferdinand I of Castile and Leon. From 1093 to 1147 it was the residence of the Portuguese court. The bishopric is restored in 1070 and the first new bishop, ''Pedro'', starts rebuilding the Cathedral, many times modified in the following centuries. In the early 12th century, Count Henry of Portugal and bishop ''Gerald of Moissac'' manage to turn Braga into an archbishopric seat, with power over a large area in Iberia. The mediaeval city develops around the cathedral and covers only a fraction of the ancient Roman city. The maximum authority in the city remains that of the archbishop.

Modern Age

In the 16th century, Braga did not profit from the Age of Portuguese Discoveries, that favoured cities like Lisbon, Évora and Coimbra. This situation was changed by Archbishop Diogo de Sousa, who sponsored several urban improvements in the city, including the enlargement of streets, the creation of public squares and the foundation of hospitals and new churches. He also modernised the cathedral by adding a new main chapel in the fashion of the time, the manueline style. Diogo de Sousa turned the mediaeval town into a renaissance city, and many of his improvements can still be seen in modern Braga.
Another golden age for the city was the 18th century, in which archibishops and architects like ''André Soares'' and ''Carlos Amarante'' dotted the city and surrounding region with beautiful baroque churches and civil buildings. The Municipality, the Public Library building, the Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Monte and many urban palaces date from this period.
The 19th century was a difficult period for the city and the country, which had been invaded by Napoleonic troops. In the second half of that century, the influence of Portuguese immigrants who had lived in Brazil introduced new tastes and improvements in the city architecture and infrastructure.
In the 20th century Braga faced great demographic and urbanistic pressures, and the infrastructure of the city had to be greatly improved to meet the new needs.

Main sights

The city of Braga and surrounding region have many historical monuments. In the city centre are:

★ Idol's Fountain (''Fonte do Ídolo'', 1st century AD): Roman fountain dedicated to an indigenous god, Tongoenabiagus. Bears reliefs and inscriptions.

★ Braga Cathedral (''Sé de Braga'', 12th-18th centuries): The most important historical monument of the city. Rich mix of architectural and artistic styles.

★ Tower of Braga Castle (14th century): Gothic tower left from the ancient castle of the city.

★ Coimbras Chapel (''Capela dos Coimbras'', early 16th century): Richly decorated chapel in Renaissance and Manueline styles.

★ Archbishop's Palace (14th-18th centuries): Gothic, Mannerist and Baroque wings. Houses the Library of the City.

★ New City Gate (''Arco da Porta Nova'', 18th century): Beautiful baroque-style city gate that substituted an earlier Gothic gate.

★ Municipal Palace (18th century): Baroque building.

★ ''Palácio do Raio'' (18th century): Outstanding Baroque-Rococo urban palace with richly decorated façade.
Outside the city centre are:

★ ''Bom Jesus do Monte Sanctuary'' (18th-early 19th century): Neoclassic church with a magnificent Baroque stairway and Bom Jesus funicular, the oldest in Iberian Peninsula. Located in the city surroundings.

★ Falperra Church (18th century): Good example of Baroque architecture with pentagonal floorplan and Rococo façade.

★ Monastery of Tibães (17th-18th centuries): Benedictine monastery of great artistic importance in Portugal. Notable inner gilt work.

★ Sameiro Sanctuary (19th-20th centuries): Important pilgrimage centre dedicated to the Virgin Mary.

★ The Braga Municipal Stadium, carved out of the Monte Castro hill that overlooks the city.

Commerce, business and transportation

The major industries in the municipality are construction, metallurgy and mechanics, software development and web design. The computer industry is growing rapidly.
The most important University in Braga (and in the Minho Region) is the Universidade do Minho founded in 1973. In the city was established also, in 1967, the most important private university of Portugal, the Universidade Católica Portuguesa.

Sports

Braga's football (soccer) team, SC Braga plays in the top division of the Portuguese Superliga.

Famous citizens

★ Paulus Orosius (c.385–c.420): Important historian and theologue from the Braga diocese, friend of St. Augustine.

★ Martin of Braga (c.520 – 580): Bishop of Braga that converted the Suevi to Catholicism.

★ Diogo de Sousa (c.1461-1532): Archbishop of Braga after 1505. A great sponsor of the arts, he remodelled the Cathedral and promoted the urbanisation of the city following Renaissance models. He also founded several churches and an important school (the Sao Paulo School).

★ Francisco Sanches (1550-1623): 16th-century physician born in the Braga diocese and educated in universities in France and Italy.

★ André Soares (1720-1769): 18th century architect, designed several important Rococo buildings in Braga and Northern Portugal.

★ Mão Morta (1984-present): Portuguese avant-gard rock band.

Trivia

★ Braga gave its name to a historic street in Bandung, West Java, Indonesia.

★ The musical instrument known as the cavaquinho has its roots in Braga. This instrument was once so closely associated with the region that it was called the 'braguinha' ("little Braga").

★ The promo for The Simpsons episode Stop, Or My Dog Will Shoot! quickly showed geographical coordinates which placed Springfield just to the north of Braga.

Sister cities

★ Astorga, Spain

★ Bissorã, Guinea-Bissau

★ Clermont-Ferrand, France

★ Puteaux, France

★ Santo André, Brazil

★ São Nicolau, Cape Verde

References

1. Instituto Geográfico Português (Portuguese Geographic Institute) - Cidades, 2004, accessed May 2007
2. Fernando Nunes da Silva (2005), Alta Velocidade em Portugal, Desenvolvimento Regional, CENSUR, IST

External links

★ Information about Braga

★ Map of Braga

★ Braga Portal

★ Virtual tourist pictures of Braga

★ Braga Guide