Chapel of Our Lady of the Tower - Braga

The Chapel of Our Lady of the Tower, attached to one of the old gates of the city, Santiago, is part of the building that houses the Pius XII Museum in the parish of Cividade.

The chapel was built between 1756 and 1759 and was designed by the architect André Soares. At the top of the Tower of Santiago there is a bell tower and at the foot an oratory dedicated to Our Lady of the Tower , erected in gratitude for the city being spared from the earthquake of 1755.

This building was part of the College and Seminary of St. James and was the former chapel built in the 18th century as a token of gratitude to the Virgin for protecting the city during the devastating earthquake in Lisbon, Portugal. Note the tall medieval tower, now converted into a museum of the city's history. The visit is part of the Pius XII Museum tour.

The tower is five stories high and can be reached by elevator. On each floor there is an interactive screen that tells you about the different historical moments in the city:

The first floor illustrates the period from the Bracarians to the reconquest; the second floor looks at medieval Braga; the third floor takes us to the Renaissance - Braga spreads out in beautiful squares; the embellishment of these new spaces (the work of architects André Soares and Carlos Amarante) is told on the fourth floor; finally, the fifth floor brings us into contact with contemporary Braga...

On top of the Tower... a beautiful panorama.

Willem Vandenameele