Tapestires at the Palace
Standing at the foot of the castle hill is the Palace of the Dukes of Bragança. Begun in 1401 on the orders of Dom Afonso, the first Duke of Bragança, this magnificent royal residence follows a Burgundian style of architecture in deference to Dom Afonso's taste for all things French. The palace was completed in 1442, but fell into disuse after the seat of the Bragança family was transferred in the early 16th century to Vila Viçosa. In 1933, the building underwent extensive renovation to become the official presidential residence during António Salazar's dictatorship. A sightseeing tour of the palace takes in most of the rooms and their 16h-century furniture and includes a visit to a small museum where Persian rugs, Flemish tapestries, medieval weaponry, and a collection of rare paintings are displayed. The chapel is noted for its vivid stained-glass windows. About 200 kilometers from Guimarães lies the town of Bragança, the original seat of the House of Bragança, which ruled in Portugal from 1640 to 1910.