The imposing stone facade of the Igreja de Sao Pedro de Rates greets you. Its history whispers secrets of centuries past.
This is no ordinary church. The Igreja de Sao Pedro de Rates stands as one of Portugal’s most important medieval Romanesque monuments. Its architectural and sculptural elements are truly remarkable. Situated beside the Ave River it was once a significant Cluniac Benedictine monastery. Legend links it to Sao Pedro de Rates the mythical first bishop of Braga. This hypothesis however largely stems from 16th-century sources.
Archaeological digs in 1997 and 1998 uncovered evidence of a building on this site dating back to the Suebi-Visigothic period. The current church however is the result of a 13th-century refoundation. This was thanks to a donation by Henry of Burgundy Count of Portugal and Teresa of Leon. They gave the ruined monastery to the Cluniac Priorate of La Charite-sur-Loire in France. This act established the Benedictine Rule at Rates. Until 1552 the church held the body of Sao Pedro de Rates before its transfer to Braga Cathedral. Sao Pedro is said to have been a bishop ordained by Saint James the Great and martyred during mass. A hermit named Felix is credited with burying his mutilated and decomposing body.
The Igreja de Sao Pedro de Rates boasts three naves and four sections. It features a false transept. Notice the varying widths of the naves the irregular rhythm of the pillars. These are hints of the church’s lengthy and interrupted construction. Restoration sadly destroyed what may have been Portugal’s first attempt at a pointed arch vault in the south aisle. The naves are covered by wooden ceilings. The apse however boasts a semicircular vaulted ceiling decorated with beautiful archways.
The main entrance is breathtaking. It’s an imposing axial portal with five archivolts and perfect round arches. The slightly asymmetrical and buttressed facade boasts exceptional sculptural decoration. The capitals are stunning especially the tympanum. The sculpture work here is considered some of the most significant in Portuguese Romanesque art. The church stands proudly a national monument since 1910 a testament to its enduring significance and enduring beauty.