BARCELOS TOURISM GUIDE
An attractive market town; the birthplace of a national symbol
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Barcelos is a small town known for its pottery and the most
widely-recognized symbol of Portugal -- the Barcelos Cockerel.
A 13th-century legend says a pilgrim on his way to Santiago de Compostela
stopped in Barcelos and was wrongly accused of theft and sentenced to death
by hanging. He was spared when he stated that to prove his innocence, the
roasted rooster that the judge was about to eat would get up and crow. It
did, and since then, brightly painted ceramic cockerels are sold throughout
Portugal as symbols of good luck.
The main reason to visit Barcelos is for the largest weekly market in
Portugal (and one of the largest in Europe) on Thursday mornings, in Campo da
Republica (also known as "Campo da Feira"). It is a huge square with a
Renaissance fountain, where almost anything is for sale, from traditional
ceramics, to rugs, vegetables, fruit, cheese, fresh bread and cakes,
clothes, and shoes.
On the north side of the square is the 18th-century Nossa Senhora do
Terço Church, once part of a monastery, with a plain exterior but
beautifully decorated inside with panels of tiles and gilded wood.
On the southwestern side is the pretty Church of Bom Jesus da Cruz,
built in 1705 with a tiled cupola and richly decorated with gilt, tile
panels, and elaborate chandeliers.
Southwest of the square is the town's old quarter, with a group of historic
buildings. Fronting the river nearby is the Parish Church, Romanesque with
Gothic influences and dating from the 13th century. Inside are multicolored
tiles and Baroque chapels.
Next to the church are the ruins of a palace belonging to the Dukes of
Bragança, ruined in the 18th century and now a small open-air
archeological museum.
There are stones and sculptures dating from the Roman period to the Middle
Ages, and it is interesting to note the religious tombstone emblems of the
various peoples to have lived in the area: both Celtic and Catholic crosses,
Jewish Stars of David, and five-point Islamic pentagrams. The most famous
exhibit is a cross paying tribute to the legend of the Barcelos cock.
Opposite the museum is a granite, privately-owned Gothic mansion called
Solar dos Pinairos, built in 1448.
Centro do Artesanato de Barcelos, a handicrafts center, displays some
of the best regional handicrafts that can be bought at reasonable prices.
The outstanding collection includes copperware, hand-made rugs, wooden toys,
cotton tableware, and of course, the Barcelos cockerel.
For visitors who still feel they haven't seen enough ceramics, there's the
Pottery Museum with a collection of more than 6,000 pieces.
It is easy to get to Barcelos by frequent trains from Porto or Viana do
Castelo, or by bus from Braga or Viana do
Castelo, stopping by the main square.
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Places Nearby
Viana
Do Castelo - Elegant architecture; folklore
Braga -
The city of Baroque; the Portuguese Episcopal capital; a monumental
staircase
Guimarães
- A medieval World Heritage center; a fascinating Celtic archeological site
Ponte de
Lima - Manor houses; a mythical festival
Ponte da
Barca - A lovely setting; a Roman bridge
Gerês
National Park - Early human vestiges within a magnificent national
park
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AROUND LISBON
AND TAGUS VALLEY Alcobaça Arrábida Azeitão Batalha Cascais Ericeira Estoril Fatima Leiria Mafra Nazaré Obidos Palmela Peniche Queluz Santarém Sesimbra Setubal Sintra Tomar |
ALENTEJO
Beja Castelo de Vide Elvas Estremoz Evora Marvão Mértola Monsaraz Vila Viçosa ALGARVE Albufeira Faro Lagos Sagres Silves Tavira Vila Real de Santo António Vilamoura |
BEIRAS (CENTRAL PORTUGAL)
Aveiro Belmonte Buçaco Coimbra Conimbriga Figueira da Foz Guarda Monsanto Piodão Serra da Estrela Viseu PORTO AND DOURO Amarante Lamego Porto |
MINHO
Barcelos Braga Gerês National Park Guimarães Ponte de Lima Ponte da Barca Viana do Castelo TRAS-OS-MONTES Bragança Chaves Vila Real THE ISLANDS Azores Madeira |