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Braga
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Amares Barcelos Braga Cabeceiras de Basto Celorico de Basto Esposende Fafe Guimarães Póvoa de Lanhoso Terras de Bouro Vieira do Minho Vila Nova de Famalicão Vila Verde Vizela
Known in Roman times as Bracara Augusta and seat of Portugal's archbishops in the 12th century, Braga's long history is visible in its monuments and churches and it is still, perhaps, the country's main religious centre. The most splendid church is the Cathedral, which displays various styles, from the Romanesque to the Baroque. Braga also boasts of fine houses, specially from the 18th century, and pleasant gardens, while its outskirts have known a great urban development in the past decades, so that the city keeps its solemn atmosphere and many of its traditions but has also a lively and modern commerce and style of life. The religious processions of the Holy Week, in Easter, and the popular festival of Saint John, in June, with market and dancing, are both worth seeing. A splendid religious sanctuary lies on a forested slope near Braga: the Bom Jesus do Monte, which exhibits an immense granite stairway surrounded by white walls, fountains and statues (all depicting biblical and symbolic figures) and leading to a church on the summit with magnificent views. In the centre of a quite densely populated region, Braga lies between tall hills and large fertile valleys, where fruit trees, vegetables, vineyards and corn are extensively cultivated. Regional food is often delicious, specially sweet recipes, like the pudim do abade de Priscos, a pudding flavoured with port, spices and lemon.
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