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Wednesday, August 26, 2015

Braga

The "Portuguese Rome," the center of Roman communications in North Lusitania, sacked by the Moors, and then rising in a renaissance in the 16th century, Braga is charming, right down to the drainpipes.



The Archbishop's Palace gardens:


Basilica Congregados

The Diocese of Braga dates from the 3rd century, and the Cathedral was consecrated in 1089, construction continuing into the 13th century, with various bits and pieces constructed, rebuilt or modified into the 14th century.



                     






On the back of the Cathedral is the Madona do Leite, an early-16th century statue of the Madonna breastfeeding Jesus, between the coat of arms of Portugal and Bishop Diogo de Sousa. Rather scandalous, as the Madonna is rarely depicted this way.


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