Church of Sâo Domingos (1576) has its origins in the convent of Santa Cruz founded by the Dominican Friar Bartolomeu dos Mártires (1514-1590), once the archbishop of Braga.
Bartolomeu dos Mártires is a famous prelate who took part in the Council of Trent (1545-1563) that opposed the 'heresies' of the Protestant Reformation and his statue, riding a donkey, stands in the square outside the church. In 1582, he received papal permission to resign as archbishop and retire to the convent in Viana do Castelo, where he lived largely in solitude for the remainder of his life.
The church is laid out with a single nave and transept in the Latin Cross style with chapels leading off to the sides.
The highlight of the ornate interior is the gilded, carved altar of Our Lady of the Rosary by José Alvares de Araújo dating from the late 18th century. Notice the finely rendered shells, flowers and volutes in the design that is a wonderful example of Portuguese Rococo.
The large interior of the church has a high, wooden ceiling done in pastel shades. Azulejos tile work depicting various Biblical scenes decorate the walls. The church contains several other ornate altars and chapels leading off from the nave. Above the main entrance is the organ reached by a dark, wooden staircase.
References:The Odeon of Herodes Atticus is a stone theatre structure located on the southwest slope of the Acropolis of Athens. It was built in 161 AD by the Athenian magnate Herodes Atticus in memory of his wife, Aspasia Annia Regilla. It was originally a steep-sloped theater with a three-story stone front wall and a wooden roof made of expensive cedar of Lebanon timber. It was used as a venue for music concerts with a capacity of 5,000. It lasted intact until it was destroyed and left in ruins by the Heruli in 267 AD.
The audience stands and the orchestra (stage) were restored using Pentelic marble in the 1950s. Since then it has been the main venue of the Athens Festival, which runs from May through October each year, featuring a variety of acclaimed Greek as well as International performances.