Basílica de São Pedro - Guimarães

The church was built in 1737 , with a basic architecture and with the image of the patron saint (1750).

Work began again in 1881 with the demolition of the temporary structures and houses that stood in front of the body of the church, and the work was completed at the beginning of the 20th century without the two planned towers having been built, but only one.

On March 26, 1751 it was elevated to the category of basilica.

The temple was desecrated during the French invasions, as it was used as a stable.

Tragedy of St. Peter's Basilica

On December 1, 1942 , after the “Mass of the Souls”, which took place at 6 a.m., a few hundred people who were next to St. Peter's Basilica went to an annex of the building, to receive alms in the form of wheat bread .

The excessive weight caused by the hundreds of people gathered in the aisle of the church, which gives access to the main chapel, caused the wooden beams to give way . The falling beams dragged dozens of people with them, who fell into the “Atlantic” Brewery Hall, located next to the church, causing widespread panic, many injuries and ten deaths.

Willem Vandenameele