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Braga, a city and municipality in northwestern Portugal, is the capital of the district of Braga, the oldest archdiocese and one of the major cities of the country.With an urban population of 175,063, Braga is the seventh largest municipality in Portugal, after Lisbon (Lisboa), Sintra municipality, Vila Nova de Gaia, Porto (Oporto), Loures and Cascais municipality (including the city and suburban parishes, the municipality has a total of 62 parishes and 175,063 inhabitants {2007}). Braga is also the center of the Greater Metropolitan Area of Minho with a population of 826,833 (2007) one of the fastest growing urban areas in the European Union. Under the Roman Empire, as Bracara Augusta, it was capital of the province Gallaecia. The urban area extends from the (river) Cavado to the (river) Este. Braga is serviced by regional and fast trains to Porto and Lisbon. The city of Oporto (Porto) is about 53 km. The present Mayor is Francisco Soares Mesquita Machado, elected from the Socialist Party. |
