Description Viseu

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Occupied since the time of the Castro, the history of Viseu is closely related to the History of Portugal.

If the mythical figure of Viriato, the warrior who led the Lusitanian tribes against the Romans, gave to the old civility a vital role during the Romanization, also D. Afonso Henriques, the first king of Portugal, established a close connection between the first years of the foundation of nationality and this noble city of Beira Alta. A place of strategic and commercial importance since ancestral times, many are the vestiges that archeology, and sometimes chance, have come to reveal here.

Visiting with art and history

But if we can not separate Viseu from the history of the country, the arts owe a great deal to the birthplace of Vasco Fernandes, whose works are symbols of the Portuguese Renaissance's erudition and excellence. The famous painter of the sixteenth century is the greatest figure in the artistic heritage of Viseu, and the Grão Vasco Museum gathers a considerable estate of the artist, keeping alive his memory in the city.

The city also reached its apogee in sacred art and religious architecture, as evidenced by the countless churches that adorn the historic center, the Sacred Art Museum and the Cathedral itself, one of the most emblematic buildings in Viseu and a testimony to the importance of this city ??of Beira as the seat of the diocese.

The Cathedral of Viseu is, in fact, an excellent starting point for a visit to the city. In Adro da Sé, one of the main places of interest in the historical center, you can find, in addition to the Cathedral and the Museums, the Misericórdia Church, the pillory and the Convent of the Canons. Here it is not uncommon to encounter the black granite, characteristic of the region, framing in contrast the white facades of immaculate aspect. Then follow Rossio, where you can enjoy the green spaces, or go through the sections of the defensive wall erected by D. João I and completed only in the reign of D. Afonso V, which still stand beyond the Gates of the Knights and of Soar.

After living closely the art and culture of Beira Alta, we must give the body the deserved reward. Get out of the horizons of the city and discover, in the district of Viseu, the best that nature can offer you in the Serra do Caramulo. By filling your lungs with pure air while losing your eyes in an imposing landscape, or taking advantage of the therapeutic benefits of water in the Spa of São Pedro do Sul, this is the ideal place for your body and your spirit to rest with tranquility and delight .

(in http://www.visitcentrodeportugal.com.pt/en/viseu/)