Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Oliveira

In the old centre of Guimarães, the Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Oliveira stands on one of the most historic squares of Portugal. A collegiate church of medieval origin, it grew beside the town’s first market, and the Gothic monument in front of it — the Padrão do Salado — marks the square where the medieval cortes were once held.

History and character

The church was rebuilt in the fourteenth century, in the years after the battle of Aljubarrota, when the king endowed the old collegiate of Guimarães in thanks for victory. Around it grew the Largo da Oliveira, the civic heart of the town, with its arcaded houses, and the church has kept its role in the city’s life ever since.

What to see

• The Gothic and Manueline naves, with their carved retables.
• The Padrão do Salado, the Gothic monument in front of the church.
• The cloister and the church’s sacred art.
• The historic square, with its arcades and old houses.

Visiting

The church is on the Largo da Oliveira, in the centre of Guimarães, reached on foot from the main squares. It remains an active place of worship: visits are welcome outside the hours of Mass, and access may be limited during celebrations.

Nearby

The historic centre of Guimarães surrounds the church, and the Paço dos Duques de Bragança and the castle are a short walk away.

Information: cm-guimaraes.pt.

Image credit: Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Oliveira, Guimarães, by Krzysztof Golik, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.