São Brás Chapel and the Tomb of Teixeira de Macedo

Classified: NM - National Monument

In the heart of the old town in Vila real, the small chapel of São Brás is the oldest temple in the city, and the one that best illustrates the early history of the borough. Its construction dates back to the decades following the founding of the city, which took place on 4 January 1289, by decree of King Dinis.
 
From an artistic point of view, the chapel is evidence of the modest resources available to the community in those early years, but it is listed as a national monument for its historic importance.
 
The square interior was transformed into a funeral chapel, full of arched recesses where some of the most important men of the Low Middle Ages were buried. The most important tomb preserved here is that of João Teixeira de Macedo, a member of the Privy Council, who served under King Afonso V in North Africa.
 
Next to the Chapel of São Brás is the Church of São Dinis, built in the middle of the 14^th century.