Fonte do Ídolo

Braga


Tucked away below street level and concealed by a modern lobby is this evocative ancient spring, one of Braga's unexpected treasures. An essential community water source in the city's early days, the spring and its surrounding rock face were carved into a fountain during pre-Roman times by Celicus Fronto, an immigrant from the city-state of Arcobriga. One carving is of a toga-clad pilgrim thought to be holding the Horn of Plenty. An introductory video provides historical background.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Braga attractions

2. Igreja de Santa Cruz

0.13 MILES

Built in the 17th century, Braga's Holy Cross Church features a mix of baroque and Mannerist architectural styles.

3. Capela de NS da Conceição

0.18 MILES

Built in 1525, this pretty church in Braga's historic centre has an azulejo (tile)-clad facade flanked by a striking crenellated tower.

4. Praça da República

0.2 MILES

The cafes and restaurants on this broad plaza are a pleasant place to start or finish your day. An especially mellow atmosphere descends in the evening,…

5. Torre de Menagem

0.22 MILES

The square-shaped, crenellated tower behind the cafes on Praça da República is the walled-up Torre de Menagem, which is all that survives of a fortified…

6. Tesouro-Museu da Sé

0.28 MILES

The cathedral's modern treasury museum houses a goldmine of ecclesiastical booty, including the lovely Nossa Senhora do Leite of the Virgin suckling…

7. Capelas e Coro Alto

0.28 MILES

A guided tour grants access to the cathedral’s three most striking chapels: the showpiece Capela dos Reis, home to the tombs of Henri of Burgundy and Dona…

8.

0.28 MILES

Braga’s extraordinary cathedral, the oldest in Portugal, was begun when the archdiocese was restored in 1070 and completed in the following century. It’s…