Monuments

Situated in the village of São Torcato on the outskirts of the municipality of Guimarães, where rural life is still predominant, the St. Torcato Basilica stands out in the landscape due to its architecture in which the slender towers on the sides of the façade stand out. 

The basilica was built in granite from the region in a hybrid style that includes elements of Gothic, Romanesque and Renaissance inspiration, from a project of 1868 by the Russian architect Ludwig Bohnstedt, readjusted in 1894 by the architect José Marques da Silva. The construction, which began in the eight hundreds, went through the entire 20th century, and the sanctuary was consecrated on 25 October 2015 and elevated to the rank of minor basilica by Pope Francis in September 2019. 

Inside the temple, in the main chapel, the incorrupt body of St. Torcato, the first martyr of Iberian Christianity, is venerated, a devotion that attracts numerous believers and for which this is considered one of the largest pilgrimage centres in the north of the country.

In front of the Basilica, there is the large Terreiro das Missas Campais where the main festival takes place, the "Great Pilgrimage", held on the first Sunday in July, which includes parades of floats representing scenes from the life of the Saint. 

The Basilica is part of a group of buildings belonging to the Brotherhood of St. Torcato, with special emphasis on the Museum that presents a representative collection of its history, tradition and the construction of the Basilica. Nearby, there are also the Parques do Lago and dos Catorze Irmãos (Parks), densely wooded with leisure and picnic areas.