Viseu Things to Do

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"Antiqua et Nobilissima", Viseu é uma cidade milenar, onde habitaram homens da pré-história, celtas e lusitanos, romanos, suevos, godos e muçulmanos.
Destes povos, destacam-se os Lusitanos, e Viriato, o pastor/guerreiro, símbolo da resistência à ocupação romana.
Foram os romanos que edificaram a Cava do Viriato, uma cerca fortificada octogonal, com 2000 m de perímetro.

The center of the majority of the cities in Portugal is the Rossio, officially the Square of the Republic. In Viseu, this is and was, during centuries, the "hall of visits" of the city. The first references to the Rossio date of century XVI. Since the centuries XVIII and XIX, Rossio was changedded into the "Public Stroll" of the Viseu society. However, the Rossio is not only this central space, in which still today people go for a walk in the shade of the tilias. It forms a great architecture with all involving constructions.

In The XVIIIth century the responsible of the Cathedral had surrendered to the exuberance of the Baroque Joanino and had ordered new carved gilden front for the Main Chapel, workmanship of Francisco Machado. This still is enriched by splendid chairs of black-wood color and golden chestnut, scratched out by Gapsapr Ferreira, also in baroque style. In the central ship two twin pulpits are risen.

The architectural base of the Cathedral retraces to centuries XIII-XIV, in Romanic-Gothic style, crawling itself construction per some centuries. The current facade, came to substitute the previous, manueline one, that was victim of weather in 1635. In maneirista style, it was built according to traced of architect of Salamanca, Joao Moreno. It is divided in three bodies, whose niches lodge the statues of the four evangelists (laterally); the patron of the Cathedral, S. Teotonio and of Our Lady of Mercy(to the center). It fits a vestibule of abated arc, that gives access to the interior of the building.

This small square in the centre of the city is a small gardened area, dominated by a discreet but beautiful statue by José de Oliveira Ferreira, dedicated to all mothers.

My favorite place in Viseu is this square, with the statue of king Duarte backed by the cathedral, and surrounded by old houses with wrought-iron balconies.

Built in 1755, this church is somewhat unbalanced, with a extended facade in Rococo style, and two towers not well integrated.
It has three Neo-classic altarpieces and some sculptures and paintings.

The medieval walls of the city are gone, but a door still remains. It has the kingdom arms in the top, and a niche with a saint.

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i ran out of time and wished i had got right up to the cathedral square where the most excellent buildings are supposed to be, but i did see some interesting or very nice buildings to catch pics of.

There are two Cathedrals in Viseu. They are in front of each other. This is really beautiful from the outside.