Church of Sâo Domingos (1576) has its origins in the convent of Santa Cruz founded by the Dominican Friar Bartolomeu dos Mártires (1514-1590), once the archbishop of Braga.
Bartolomeu dos Mártires is a famous prelate who took part in the Council of Trent (1545-1563) that opposed the 'heresies' of the Protestant Reformation and his statue, riding a donkey, stands in the square outside the church. In 1582, he received papal permission to resign as archbishop and retire to the convent in Viana do Castelo, where he lived largely in solitude for the remainder of his life.
The church is laid out with a single nave and transept in the Latin Cross style with chapels leading off to the sides.
The highlight of the ornate interior is the gilded, carved altar of Our Lady of the Rosary by José Alvares de Araújo dating from the late 18th century. Notice the finely rendered shells, flowers and volutes in the design that is a wonderful example of Portuguese Rococo.
The large interior of the church has a high, wooden ceiling done in pastel shades. Azulejos tile work depicting various Biblical scenes decorate the walls. The church contains several other ornate altars and chapels leading off from the nave. Above the main entrance is the organ reached by a dark, wooden staircase.
References:Rosenborg Palace was built in the period 1606-34 as Christian IV’s summerhouse just outside the ramparts of Copenhagen. Christian IV was very fond of the palace and often stayed at the castle when he resided in Copenhagen, and it was here that he died in 1648. After his death, the palace passed to his son King Frederik III, who together with his queen, Sophie Amalie, carried out several types of modernisation.
The last king who used the place as a residence was Frederik IV, and around 1720, Rosenborg was abandoned in favor of Frederiksborg Palace.Through the 1700s, considerable art treasures were collected at Rosenborg Castle, among other things items from the estates of deceased royalty and from Christiansborg after the fire there in 1794.
Soon the idea of a museum arose, and that was realised in 1833, which is The Royal Danish Collection’s official year of establishment.