Padrão do Salado - Guimarães

The Padrão Comemorativo da Batalha do Salado, usually simply called Padrão do Salado, is a 14th-century Gothic monument .

It was founded in 1340 at the initiative of Afonso IV of Portugal to commemorate the victory in the Battle of Río Salado that took place that same year. The Portuguese monarch had taken part in this battle to help defend his son-in-law, Afonso XI of Castile, from a Muslim invasion. The Norman cross of limestone , which is located in the center of the monument and was originally covered with gold , was donated in 1342 by the local merchant Pedro Esteves. It was closed off with an iron fence until the beginning of the 20th century.

It is an open quadrangular portico consisting of four sculpted broken arches resting on columns with sculpted capitals, surmounted by the Royal Coat of Arms . It contains a cross resting on a round pedestal with two steps . The polychrome cross depicts on one side the Crucified Christ and on the other side the Virgin Mother under a canopy. On a lower level on the shaft of the cross : 4 statues representing Vincent of Saragossa, Philip the Apostle, Saint Torcato and the Guardian Angel.

Willem Vandenameele