Viana do Castelo Cathedral, Viana do Castelo, Portugal

The Cathedral of St. Mary the Great is a catholic church and fortress built in the fifteenth century, which preserves a Romanesque appearance.

Its facade is flanked by two large towers topped by battlements and highlights its beautiful Gothic portal with archivolts with sculpted scenes from the Passion of Christ and sculptures of the Apostles. It is a Romanesque church with a Latin cross and inside is separated by three arches supported on pillars ships. It is classified as Imóvel of Public Interesse.

Inside, are the chapels of St. Bernard (by Fernão Brandão) and the chapel of the Blessed Sacrament, attributed to stonemason, João Lopes the 'old'.

References:

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User Reviews

Rhicke Jennings (18 months ago)
This is a very traditional gothic cathedral. Worth a visit. Live organ music when I visited. Unfortunately no stamps for pilgrims. The stamp is locked in a case at the entrance with nobody to do stamping.

Pedro Silva (2 years ago)
Well preserved and a great piece of Viana history. Close to the city center makes is worth the visit

Colin B (2 years ago)
It's not huge, Don't expect Canterbury or York in the UK but this is a manageable cathedral, think a big church. You have to recognise this is an ancient place but then wonder at the stonemasons work. Just has to be visited.

Aaron Ochse (2 years ago)
Very interesting cathedral. Beautiful sculptures.

Oscar Lugo (3 years ago)
It is cathedral not much to add

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Before the arrival of Christianity in Sweden, Gamla Uppsala was the seat of Swedish kings and a ceremonial site known all over northern Europe. The settlement was home to royal palaces, a royal burial ground, and a great pagan temple. The Uppsala temple, which was described in detail by Adam of Bremen in the 1070s, housed wooden statues of the Norse gods Odin, Thor and Freyr. A golden chain hung across its gables and the inside was richly decorated with gold. The temple had priests, who sacrificed to the gods according to the needs of the people.

The first Christian cathedral was probably built in the 11th century, but finished in the 12th century. The stone building may have been preceded by a wooden church and probably by the large pagan temple.

Viana do Castelo Cathedral

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