Sightseeing in Guimaraes - what to see. Complete travel guide

Guimaraes is located on the north-west of Portugal. This is an important historical city, which population estimates around 53 thousands of people. Guimaraes is known as the first capital of the country. Even nowadays this place is a symbol of the first large city in Portugal. This statement is proven by numerous historical monuments and castle towers that have become the Portuguese emblem and can be seen on the flag of this country.

Guimaraes is a beautiful city with its own traditional history, large number of unique monuments and architectural sights. The city consists of old streets and squares that are usually in a great state. Among the most famous sights of Guimaraes is the Royal Palace that has been abandoned for a long time. It was renewed only in XX century and used as the residence of the country’s president. Tourists are usually advised to visit Paço dos Duques de Bragança, St. Francisco Church, and Nossa Senhora de Oliveira Monastery that exhibits a large collection of historical and church artifacts. Among them is the armor of King Don Juan I. The monastery is named after the olive tree that was planted here yet in 672. Guimaraes is surrounded by dense forests and rocky hills. This is a wonderful destination for leisure tourism.

The main symbol of the historic city is the Castle of Guimaraes. It is one of the oldest castles in Portugal and is covered with a halo of interesting legends. More than a thousand years ago on the site of the castle was an ancient monastery. The very first fortification built next to it was built in the 10th century. Two hundred years later the castle was heavily rebuilt. Many of its elements remained intact even after 800 years. Today, tourists can visit almost the entire territory of the castle, and walk along its walls, from which an attractive view of the surroundings opens. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

Among the most beautiful religious monuments of the city, it is worth noting the Nossa-Senhora da Oliveira Church. It was built in the 14th century. This beautiful church is a vivid monument in the Gothic style. Several years later, many interesting artifacts remained within the walls of the church. In it, a beautiful altar which was installed in the 18th century, and also adorned painting on the ceiling, survived.

A very interesting site is the Church of Sao Miguel de Castelo. This miniature chapel in the Romanesque style is made up of massive stone and looks very impressive. The exact history of the appearance of this religious monument is unknown. The first mention of the chapel dates back to the 12th century. According to some historical data, it was in this chapel that the future king of Portugal, Alfonso Enriquez, was baptized. If you believe these legends, the chapel preserved is the very chapel which was used for his baptism.

For those who like to visit interesting cultural institutions, it is worth looking into the Martins Sarmento Museum, one of the oldest and largest museums in Europe. This museum is named after the famous archaeologist, and was founded in 1885. For many years, the archaeologist explored the territory of the city and its surroundings. During the expeditions, he managed to find hundreds of interesting artifacts. All of them are presented today in the museum. It is especially interesting due to its extensive numismatic collection. Since the foundation of the museum, its collection has been continually replenished, as archaeological research in the vicinity of Guimaraes has been continuously conducted for over a hundred years. Recently, the exposition of the museum was expanded. Presently, it presents an interesting collection of art paintings dating back to the mid-20th century.