Category: Civil Architecture > Monument
District: Braga > Braga > Braga > São Vítor
Located in the parish of São Vítor, in Braga, the Convento das Convertidas is situated in a central point of the city, close to Avenida Central. Its main facade, which faces landscaped areas with lime trees, offers a peaceful setting and invites appreciation of the architecture in Braga's urban heart.
Founded in 1722 through the initiative of Archbishop D. Rodrigo de Moura Teles, this building served a very particular social function. Known as the Recolhimento de Santa Maria Madalena or das Convertidas, the place was designed to welcome and offer a new path to women seeking to regenerate their lives, reflecting a dimension of charity and reintegration uncommon for the time. Its creation, on the grounds of an old 16th-century hermitage dedicated to São Bartolomeu, and later the Chapel of São Gonçalo, is part of Braga's rich religious and social history.
The Convento das Convertidas is a notable example of Minho Baroque architecture. Built predominantly with whitewashed stone masonry, it stands out for its careful use of granite in its structural and decorative elements, such as quoins, cornices, and pediments. Its main facade, marked by a characteristic rectangular tower, reveals the 18th-century intention of grandeur, also displaying the coat of arms of Archbishop D. Rodrigo de Moura Teles and the emblem of the institution.
Inside, the single-nave chapel featured a very rich artistic heritage. The walls were covered with loose-figure blue and white tiles, while the wooden ceiling stood out with paintings of angels and sacred elements. An imposing gilded altarpiece was the central point of the space, complemented by a polychrome carved pulpit. The presence of a foundling wheel in the atrium of the institution's house underscores its profound historical social function.
Classified as a Property of Public Interest since 2012, the Convento das Convertidas is recognized for its historical and architectural importance to national heritage. Its preservation is fundamental for the memory of the city and the country, serving as a testament to Braga's social, religious, and artistic history. Despite having faced periods of degradation, initiatives are underway to rehabilitate it, with the aim of making it a culturally valuable space accessible to all.
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt
Coordinates DD: 41.5521747, -8.4204321714286
Coordinates DMS: 41°33'7.8"N 08°25'13.6"W
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