Braga City Hall

The current Town Hall, which replaced the previous Renaissance-style building, was built in the 18th century at the suggestion of the then Archbishop of Braga, D. José de Bragança, brother of João V of Portugal.

The building, considered by some experts as one of the most outstanding examples of Baroque architecture in the Iberian Peninsula , was built on the site of the old bullring . The project was designed by André Soares, an architect from Braga, and it is his only well-documented work in the city. Although construction began in 1753, it was not completely finished until 1865.

The pediment also has several cartouches and the main entrance , above which is a beautifully sculpted niche with an image of Our Lady of Livramento in an acroterium . This statue used to be in the old Town Hall next to the cathedral, which was demolished in 1775 and moved to the cathedral, where it remained for several years and was then moved to its current location.

willem vandenameele