What to see in Viseu, an ancient city in Portugal founded by the Celts and home to a painting school frequented in the past by great artists.

Tourist information

Ancient city of Portugal founded by the Celts and occupied by the Romans in the second century BC, Viseu is located on a promontory from which you can enjoy the view of a beautiful landscape of woods and vines.

It is a bishopric and its ancient houses are very characteristic.

In 1500 it was the seat of a painting school which became famous for the presence of great artists such as Vasco Fernandes and Gaspar Vaz whose works are exhibited in the de Grao Vasco museum.

What see

The most important buildings are located around a large square presided over by a Renaissance cross.

The Cathedral Church, dating back to the thirteenth century, presents the usual amalgam of styles due to various renovations.

Thus, the two towers of the facade and the columns of the interior are Romanesque, while the arches of the vaults are in the Manueline style and the cloister in the Renaissance style.

In the Chapter Hall adjacent to the church is the treasure containing Limoges enamels, sacred vestments, objects of worship and sculptures by Joachim Machado de Castro.

The adjacent Grao Vasco Museum houses works by the homonymous painter and azulejos from the 17th century.

Relevant from an artistic point of view also the Church of Mercy with a Baroque facade including two bell towers and a neoclassical interior.

The Rossio represents the central square with a monument dedicated to Henrique the Navigator and well-kept gardens.