Braga

 Braga (Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈbɾaɡɐ]), a city in the Braga Municipality in northwestern Portugal, is the capital of the Braga District, the oldest archdiocese and the third major city of the country. Braga is the oldest Portuguese city and, one of the oldest Christian cities in the World. With an urban population of 175,063, Braga is the seventh largest municipality in Portugal by population (including the city and suburban parishes, the municipality had a total of 62 parishes and 177,183 inhabitants as of 2009). Braga is also the center of the Greater Metropolitan Area of Minho with a population of 826,833 (2007) one of the fastest growing urban areas in the European Union.^{[citation needed]} Under the Roman Empire, as Bracara Augusta, it was capital of the province Gallaecia. The urban area extends from the (river) Cavado to the (river) Este. Braga is serviced by regional and fast trains to Porto and Lisbon. The city of Oporto (Porto) is about 53 km. The present Mayor is Francisco Soares Mesquita Machado, elected from the Socialist Party.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Braga



Last week I went with my friends (Cristina, Constantin, Eliza, Larisa, Malina, Dani)to visit Braga. The weather was great. We were a big Romanian group. We had a great time.We visited as much as we could.

The main attraction of Braga is in my opinion Bom Jesus do Monte Sanctuary (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bom_Jesus_do_Monte). I was impressed by the style  of the place.

The design of the Sanctuary of Bom Jesus, with its Baroque nature emphasised by the zigzag form of its stairways, influenced many other sites in Portugal (like Lamego) and colonial Brazil, like the Sanctuary of Congonhas. As the pilgrims climbed the stairs, they encountered a theological programme that contrasted the senses of the material world with the virtues of the spirit, at the same time as they experienced the scenes of the Passion of Christ. The culmination of the effort was the temple of God, the church on the top of the hill. The presence of several fountains along the stairways give the idea of purification of the faithful.

I liked the allegorical fountains a lot. They have a special meaning . The first fountain symbolizes the wounds of Christ, the next five the senses, and the final three the virtues.

After we visited this great place we  wanted to see a castle, but as it was late we went in the city center.

We also visited other places in the center like: The Archiepiscopal Court http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archbishop's_Palace_of_Braga, The Saint Paul Church http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Paul_Church_in_Braga and of course the city center.

For the first time since i arrived in Portugal I felt it was autumn.  The yellow and red leafs were on the ground. This remained me of my country. I like this season except of the rainy days that seam to last forever.

But the truth  was that we were in December and Christmas decorations were everywhere.I could not believe it was already winter and time passed so quickly. Braga was amazing in the light of the decorations. A new year is cumming soon.

I will try to enjoy all the time left as much as I can. I won`t go home for Christmas but I hope I will have a great time here although the holidays will remind me of my family.

I want to return in Braga and to discover new places.