Monuments

The origins of the church stretch back to the 13th century when it served as the parish church. It was rebuilt first in the 16th century on the orders of bishop António Pinheiro and again in the 17th century after damage from a landslide. The original medieval structure remains in place at the altar end with alterations featuring obvious Baroque influences.

The unadorned exterior features the lateral entrance, characteristic of convent churches, decorated in a Mannerist style. Inside, the main chapel is highly impressive with its polychromatic starred vaults finished with foliage decoration, and the Rocaille gold leafed carvings that are repeated on the triumphal arch and on the lateral retables.

The church has its own history to tell including the 1352 secret marriage between Pedro (king from 1357 to 1367) and lady of the court Inês de Castro, celebrated by Gil, the dean of Guarda Se. It was also here, in 1808, that general Sepúlveda proclaimed the resistance of the people of Bragança to the invading French forces commanded by Junot. The event is registered in a tiled panel, placed on the southern façade in 1929.