Arco da Porta Nova

This baroque gateway marks the western entrance to Braga's historic core, replacing an older medieval gate in the eighteenth century. Designed in an elegant late-baroque and rococo style, it carries the coat of arms of the commissioning archbishop and a niche with an image of the Virgin. Once part of the city's defensive walls, the arch now stands as a free-standing ceremonial portal through which processions and visitors pass into the old streets. Its balanced classical proportions make it a symbol of the city.