S. Domingos Church (Sé) and other Vila Real, Portugal Things to Do Tips

It was the church of an old convent of the same name. In 1924, when was created Vila Real's diocese became the "Sé" (main church).
It's a big temple, in 3 wings, built in XV century. The bell tower was built in 1742 and the main-chapel was reformulated in 1753.
In 1837 there was a big fire, being rebuilt over the next decade.

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Address: Avenida Carvalho Araujo

Built in the XIII century, it's a small romanic- gothic temple. Located next to the Saint Dinis Church inside the Old Cemetary.
Inside there are two tombs, it is said that one of them is where it lays the remains of Lourenço Viegas who fought by the side of Dom Afonso Henriques, the first king of Portugal.
In the back of the chapel, there are some paintings of Saint Brás.
To view more pictures about the Old cemetary, click here.

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Address: Old Cemetary
Directions: Behind City Hall

It's the place where the town started.
When in 1289, the king D. Dinis, ordered it's creation, the place chosen, was the promontory surrounded by the rivers Corgo and Cabril.
Most of the primitive constructions are gone, but there are some remnants of the walls and the first church from the (Capela de S. Bras), a small chapel adjoining the newer church (Igreja de S. Dinis), built in the XIV century.
Both are located inside the S. Dinis cemetary, a romantic graveyard.
Behind the cemtary there's a fantastic panoramic view to mountains and the conflunce of the rivers at the bottom.

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Address: Vila Velha
Directions: Behind City Hall

Romanic church from the XIVth century.
Inside it's the tomb of a soldier executed due to a juiciary error, Santo Soldado. He is object of some veneration by the people fom the city. There's even a small chapel in it's honor near the prison.

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Address: Rua da Misericodia

In a XVII century building, the museum has a collection of over 30.000 coins from the most varied origins:
roman, portuguese and spanish roman, greek, visigotic, bizantine and iberic.
It has also some arqueological objects, like some misterious Alvão Rocks.

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Phone: +351 259 325 730
Address: Avenida 1º de Maio
Website: http://www.cm-vilareal.pt/turismo/museu_vilareal.htm
Other Contact: Fax: +351 259 308 161

It's a barroc temple, whose project is atributed to Nicolau Nasoni, who also projected the famous Clerigos Tower in Porto.
A tipically baroc temple, in it's interior has "azulejos" picturing the lives of Saint Peter and Saint Paul.

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Address: Rua dos Combatentes da Grande Guerra

It's a set of half a dozen granitic rocks, that, in roman times, were used as altars to sacrifices.
The blood from animals would drained by small cuts carved in the stones.
In some stones you can still see some inscriptions in Latin, that consacrate the temple and the offerings to the ancient gods.

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Address: Assento - Valnogueiras
Directions: On the road from Vila Real to Sabrosa, between Constantim and ´S. Martinho de Anta.

A baroc building, was built in 1528 by order of a clerical, whose tomb is inside.
In 1692, it was added "azulejos" to the main chapel.
In 1711, ithe all building was restaured.

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Address: Largo de S. Pedro

The Mateus Palace, a XVII century building attributed to Nicolau Nasoni, is one of the most beautiful examples of baroc civil arquitecture in Portugal.
It's gardens are amazing like the chapel.
Inside the palace, the furniture and several objects of art and religious items.
There is also a 1817 copy of "Os Lusiadas", the literary masterpiece of Luis de Camões.

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Phone: +351 259 323 121
Address: Mateus
Directions: On the road from Vila Real to Sabrosa.
Website: http://www.casademateus.com
Other Contact: Fax: +351 259 326 553

Located in the city center, it's a building of medieval traces, surrounded by buildings of the same arquitecture.
According to tradition, it was here that was born Diogo Cão, the mariner that discovered the Zaire river estuary.

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Address: Avenida Carvalho Araújo
Directions: In front of City Hall