Church of Santa Cruz

It was in 1625 that King Afonso Furtado de Mendonça laid the foundation stone for the church of Santa Cruz. This church is considered to be the first great landmark of the so-called Baroque of Braga and one of its highest expressions, as it harmonized the final period of Mannerism with the nascent Baroque, making it a forerunner of the style that would be adopted by André Soares. The body of the church was built in the first half of the 17th century, at the end of Philippine rule; but when the bell towers were erected in 1694, the building was already on the verge of ruin. In the 1930s, the entire body of the church, with the exception of the façade, was torn down and rebuilt.
According to the famous legend, there are two high-relief roosters hidden in the intricate designs with which the stone was carved and if "the married girl identifies them, she will be married soon".

More information:
253 205 900
geral@irmandadesantacruz.pt