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VILA NOVA DE GAIA – Mosteiro da Serra do PilarPart of the area classified by UNESCO as World Heritage in December 1996, the Monastery of Serra do Pilar is the architectural landmark of Gaia. The interesting church and cloisters are laid out according to a circular design unique in Portuga [...]
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VILA NOVA DE GAIA – Mosteiro da Serra do PilarThe convent built in the 16th century belonged to the Order of Saint Augustine. The church is characterised by a circular shape, a replica of the Church of Santa Maria Redonda in Rome, and is covered by a hemispheric vault with a narrow balcon [...]
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GUIMARÃES – Castelo de Guimaraes – Dom Afonso Henriques, o conquistadorAfonso I, more commonly known as D. Afonso Henriques, nicknamed 'the Conqueror' (O Conquistador), 'the Founder' (o Fundador) or 'the Great' (o Grande) by the Portuguese, and El-Bortukali ('the Portuguese') and Ibn-Arrik ('son of Henry', 'Henri [...]
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GUIMARÃES – Castelo de GuimarãesThe castle´s presence evokes the exciting mixture of legend, poetry and heroism that surrounds the beginning of Portuguese history. On taking over the governorship of the province known as Portucalense from his father-in-law, Alfonso VI of Leó [...]
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GUIMARÃES – Paço dos Duques de BragançaBetween 1937 and 1959 a complex reconstruction was carried out based on a project by the architect Rogério de Azevedo. At the same time, a Commission was created to gather a group of objects, dating mostly from the 17th and 18th centuries, in [...]
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GUIMARÃES – Paço dos Duques de Bragança – CourtyardThe Ducal Palace of the Bragança in Guimarães was ordered built in the 15th Century by Afonso - an illegitimate son of king João I and Inês Pires Esteves - which was the 1st Duke of the House of Bragança and the 8th Count of Barcelos. He had i [...]
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GUIMARÃES – Museu de Alberto SampaioThe Alberto Sampaio Museum contains collections of great interest. Of particular note is the sculpture composed of statues from the 13th to the 18th century, made from both limestone and wood. In the collection of woodcarvings, the 17th-centur [...]
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GUIMARÃES – Museu de Alberto Sampaio – LogoThe Alberto Sampaio Museum was founded in 1928 to house the art and other objects belonging to the former Collegiate Church of Nossa Senhora da Oliveira and other churches and convents in Guimarães. It is situated in the heart of the old histo [...]
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EVORA – Templo de DianaThe temple of Diana, which would have been one of several in the city, was built in the 2nd century AD. Although traditionally associated with the goddess Diana, there is no real evidence for this. One likely alternative is Jupiter, the Roman [...]
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EVORA – Templo de Diana – An Oblique ViewThe Roman Temple of Évora (Portuguese: Templo romano de Évora), also referred to as the Templo de Diana, is an ancient temple in the Portuguese city of Évora. The temple is part of the historical centre of the city, which was included in the c [...]
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EVORA – Catedral de EvoraThe fortress Cathedral of Se was originally build 1190 by Sancho I, the cathedral was built on the site of a grand mosque built during the Moor occupation of Evora. The Se cathedral of Evora was heavily extended during the 14 and 16 centuries. [...]
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EVORA – Catedral de Evora – Main facadeThe Cathedral of Évora (Portuguese: Sé de Évora) is one of the oldest and most important monuments in the city of Évora, in Portugal, lying on the highest spot of the city. It is part of the historical city centre, and the seat of the Archdioc [...]
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MIRA DE AIRE – Grutas de Mira de Aire – StalactitesOn the 27th July 1947 four village men – Ernesto Morais, Manuel Zé 'da tia', Manuel Trouxa' e Jaime Caetano – decided to take the risk: they cleared the rift, they entered through the ravine, they threw ropes, they went down onto a small galle [...]
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MIRA DE AIRE – Grutas de Mira de Aire – The PathMira de Aire caves extend for about 10000m, and the visitable area is 600m, with 683 steps along the way. It is Portugal's largest caves system and the underground tour leads down through a series of colourfully lit caverns with some impressiv [...]
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ALMADA – Santuario De Cristo Rei – ViewThe Christ the King statue (Portuguese: Cristo-Rei) is a Catholic monument and shrine dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ overlooking the city of Lisbon in the central part of Portugal. It was inspired by the Christ the Redeemer stat [...]
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ALMADA – Santuário Nacional de Cristo ReiOnce on top, in the terrace we contemplate the beautiful statue of Christ-King, as well as His Divine Heart sculpted on His chest. Weather permitting, the visitor will enjoy a magnificent view, within a radius of more than 20 Km. From there he [...]
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CONIMBRIGA – Conimbriga RuinsThis is the largest and most extensively excavated Roman site in Portugal, was on the Roman road between Lisbon (Olisipo) and Braga (Bracara Augusta). There is evidence of Roman habitation as early as the 2nd century BC, but it was under Augus [...]
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CONIMBRIGA – Conimbriga MosaicIn Conímbriga, one of the best preserved archaeological site in Portugal, mosaic floors and foundations of many houses and public buildings remain. The city, located along the road connecting Bracara Augusta (Braga) and Olisipo (Lisbon) includ [...]
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SAGRES – ALGARVE – Promontório de Sagres – FortalezaSagres or the Promontorium Sacrum. This location evokes the memory of the Infante D. Henrique and the Portuguese discoveries. The southwesternmost point in the European continent, was already referred to in antiquity as the Promontorium Sacrum [...]
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SAGRES – ALGARVE – Promontório de Sagres – Fortaleza – Side ViewSagres Point is a windswept shelf-like promontory located in the southwest Algarve region of southern Portugal. Only 4 km to the west and 3 km to the north lies Cape St. Vincent (Portuguese: Cabo de São Vicente) which is usually taken as the s [...]
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