Municipal Square - Braga

In the second half of the 16th century, the square was opened by order of Archbishop Brother Agostinho de Jesus in the then dominated farm and vegetable gardens of the Episcopal Palace of Braga.

Initially called Archbishop's Square , it was renamed the Bull Ring because of the large bullfights that were held there on the occasion of certain religious festivals and the inaugurations of the new monarchs of Portugal.

In the following years, Archbishop Gaspar de Bragança decided to bring together the various markets of the city in the square. The square became a large open-air market until 1878, when a pavilion was opened in the northern part of the square, which was demolished in 1914.

On October 1, 1915, when Albano Justino Lopes Gonçalves was mayor, a large covered iron market by João Moura Coutinho was inaugurated. Despite being an architectural example, the market did not fit in with the square, so it was demolished in 1955.

In 1949, the chapel of Santo António da Praça on the east side was demolished to open Ulrich Street, now Eça de Queiroz Street.

Later, with Viriato Nunes as mayor, the Pelican Fountain was placed in the center and the square took on its current appearance, flanked by trees.

Willem Vandenameele