Bragança
Legend says the marriage of Pedro and Inês took place in the Igreja de São Vincente in Bragança. Alas, the only part of the original 13th century building is near the altar. We strolled from the Citadel down to the church, imagining the couple taking a similar path. We counted 270 paces from the castle's outer door to the church's. In those days, the actual vows were recited with a priest in front of the closed doors of the chapel with witnesses gathered around. After the marriage they would enter the church for the blessing and communion.
Inside the walled citadel is a castle less elegant or extensive than others. Here the citadel and castle lie near the country’s border with Spain and their defensive nature is evident.
The castle does have a museum with
medieval artifacts.
On the grounds of the citadel close by the castle is the Domus Municipalis - a name the building acquired in the 19th century. The Domus rests atop a cistern which is why the building was known as the Ciserna Casa de Agua in the time of the novel. In this building the ‘good men’ of the town would meet on civil matters.
It is said to be the last example of Romanesque civic architecture in Portugal.
