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Braga is a city with a long history that pre-dates, by many centuries, the foundation of the Kingdom of Portugal. The political and economic importance of the city, as the capital of "Galaecia" during the Roman occupation of the peninsula, is still evident today through the existence of several notable monuments. Only centuries later, after the Christian reconquest and the foundation of Portugal did the city recover its political and religious relevance and the impact of this new phase is confirmed by medieval constructions including the Cathedral and the Castle tower. The Renaissance period was dominated by the intervention of the Bishop D. Diogo de Sousa, who redesigned the city. Since then the city has assumed its role as the main religious center of the kingdom. In the period of great development in Portugal, that resulted from the arrival of wealth from the African and Brazilian territories, Braga reached a new height of prosperity and once again this is evident in the immense historical heritage that led to the attribution of the title of the Portuguese Capital of the Baroque.The city has many historic milestones distributed throughout the historical center and other remarkable constructions including the Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Monte, the Monastery of St. Martinho de Tibães, the Chapel of St. Frutuoso and the Museum Center of S. Martinho de Dume, all located in the neighborhood. The historical-cultural heritage is preserved in several locations within the "Old Town" including the Museum D. Diogo de Sousa, the Treasury of the Cathedral or the Museum Pius XII, and also in archeological sites such as the Fonte do Ídolo and the Ruins of Cividade.Currently the city of Braga is an important economic center that has grown from the combination of an entrepreneurial attitude and the wealth of human capital to which the University of Minho contributed significantly for over the last 40 years.We look forward to your attendance at the 20th meeting of the Portuguese Society of Electrochemistry (XX SPE) and simultaneously offer you the opportunity to discover the city and its history, and experience the rich cuisine of this district of Portugal.
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