Cathedral of Viana do Castelo

The construction of the main church Igreja Matriz de Viana do Castelo dates from the first half of the 15th century and has a Gothic influence.

The region between the rivers Minho and Lima has always had a certain form of self-government. The religious centre of the region was successively located in Tuy (from 569 to 1362), Valença (from 1382 to 1444) and Ceuta (from 1444 to 514). However, it was not until November 1977 that Pope Paul VI, after centuries of insistence from the inhabitants of the region, gave his consent to the creation of the diocese of Viana do Castelo. The main church was thus elevated to the status of cathedral.

The church was originally dedicated to the Divine Redeemer and only later to the cult of Mary (Santa Maria Maior).

It was inaugurated in 1455 and in 1483, at the initiative of the Bishop of Ceuta, D. Justo Balduino, it was promoted to collegiate church.

From the outside, the church looks like a fortified castle, with Romanesque features , like some churches in Galicia: two impressive towers with battlements on the front facade, a finely worked rose window in the middle part and a gate with a Gothic pointed arch consisting of four archivolts, three of which are decorated. At the top of the last archivolt is a Christ, with on either side a representation of the heavenly court.

The entrance to the cathedral is protected by the statues of the six apostles most closely linked to the traditions of the city and the region: Peter, Paul, John, Bartholomew, James and Andrew. The statues of the main portal are a remarkable and rare example of Portuguese Gothic.

The interior consists of a nave with two aisles. Noteworthy are the rich decorations and the tombstones with coats of arms of local nobles. Of the various chapels, the chapel of Senhor Jesus dos Mareantes deserves special mention. It belongs to the Brotherhood of the Seafarers and contains remarkable art treasures , including an image of the Dead Lord bought in England in 1593, Milanese priestly vestments from the 17th century and a memorial stone from 1404 with astronomical symbols, possibly from a chapel previously built by sailors.

Two major fires, in 1656 and 1809 , caused serious destruction. After the last fire, the church stood empty for decades. It was not put back into use as a parish church until 1835. The original covering of the nave and the aisles was then replaced by painted plasterwork. The sacristy also has rich baroque decorations.

Willem Vandenameele