In the heart of the highest city stands the Cathedral of Guarda.
Its construction started in the reign of D. João I, around 1390, lasted for 150 years, until about 1540. This long construction period justifies the different architectural styles applied in the temple: the Romanesque, the Gothic and the Manueline .
If the plant stands out from the first, from Gothic the highlight goes to the warheads crossing and to the imposing portal facing Praça Luís de Camões. Manuelino’s trilobed arches, elegant torsion columns and the main portal stand out.
Inside, attention is drawn to the majestic sculptural altarpiece in stone by Ançã, by the great master of the Renaissance in Coimbra, João de Ruão. With about 110 images, it has as its central theme the Life of Christ and is organized thematically in various registers. It is a set of great emotion and with an enormous symbolic and religious charge.
Also noteworthy is the Capela dos Pinas, founded by D. João de Pina, which displays a notable cover with Renaissance decoration. Inside, with a starry vault, is the tomb with the founding statue of the founder.
Outside, the figurative and cannon-shaped gargoyles are highlighted, which even today constitute one of the most enigmatic pieces of the monument’s history; the flying buttresses, designed to support the weight of the thick granite walls; and the imposing buttresses finished in the shape of a needle. The eaves of the terraces decorated with battlements in fleur-de-lis add a touch of beauty to this imposing monument.
Don’t be put off by the outside view, enter the cathedral, dare to climb the terraces and enjoy a magnificent panoramic view!