#Guimarães: Unesco World Heritage site in Portugal

After a walk in the Monte Latito, you must cross the street with more coats of arms per square meter. The Santa Maria Street is one of the first streets of Guimarães and connects the Guimarães castle to Largo da Oliveira. Along this street you can find:

Convent of Santa Clara (16th century)

Convent that sheltered the group of nuns responsible for the creation of several typical cakes and pastels of Guimarães. The Baroque building is currently the Guimarães City Hall.

Guimarães City Hall - Convent of Santa Clara

Casa do Arco or Arc House (from the end of the 13th century)

Today it is a hotel, but here several distinguished families and historical figures such as King D. Manuel I, Prince D. Miguel (son of D. João VI) and the painter Roquemont stayed here.

Arc House

Praça de Santiago or Santiago Square

Square where the nobles who accompanied the Count D. Henrique settled down in their arrival to Portugal. It is known for its houses with wooden balconies and for its nightlife.

Santiago Square

Largo da Oliveira

In this square, what stands out is the Church of Oliveira (Igreja da Oliveira), whose construction dates back to the monastery dedicated to the Savior of the World, the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Saints, founded by Countess Mumadona Dias in 950. On the right side of the Church, there are the cloisters and the Alberto Sampaio Museum, which has in its possession the “loudel” with more than 629 years, that D. João I used in the Battle of Aljubarrota. The king promised that if he won the battle, he would return barefoot to the Church and offer his “loudel” made of linen, wool, silk and gold thread.

Church of Oliveira

In front of the Church, we have the Padrão do Salado (Gothic style) built by D. Afonso IV to commemorate his victory at the Battle of Salado in 1340. The cruise inside was offered by Pero Esteves (in 1342), a merchant from Guimarães who lived in Lisbon.

Padrão do Salado

Last but not least, we have the old Paços do Concelho. Its construction began at the end of the 14th century under King João I.

Paços do Concelho