Portugal Attractions: Military Museum Bragança (Museu Militar de Bragança)
The keep of Bragança Castle within the historic walled citadel (Cidadela) of Bragança contains one of the best of Portugal's numerous military museums.
The Torre de Menagem (keep) is 33m tall and was occupied by the Portuguese military well into the 20th century. In 1929 the space was converted into a museum by an officer in the regiment stationed here with many of the exhibits donated by local inhabitants of Bragança.
Exhibits
The museum's exhibits range from around the 12th century to World War I and Portugal's messy wars in its African colonies of Angola and Mozambique in the 1960's and 1970's. The latter conflict is represented also by African axes, clubs, masks, spears and other pieces brought back as souvenir trophies by serving soldiers from the Bragança and Trás-os-Montes region.
The older exhibits are on the lower floors and visitors move through Portuguese military history as they ascend the narrow, winding stairs to the top of the castle's keep and its fine views over the surrounding countryside from the top floor of the museum.
On display are an impressive and varied assortment of suits of armour, battle flags, cannons, helmets, machine guns, muskets, pistols, rifles, standards and swords as well as modern weapons such as AK47's, Gatling guns and Russian heavy machine guns. The grounds of the castle itself also include some impressive World War II era British-made field artillery pieces (25-pounders and 5.5 inch guns) which were standard issue to the Portuguese military.
The Peninsula War in Portugal and Spain is also well represented and will be of interest to Portugal history enthusiasts.
The exhibits are well-labeled in both Portuguese and English.
Access & Hours
Castelo de Bragança & Military Museum
Bragança 5300-025, Portugal
Tel: 273 322 378
Opening Hours: 9 am-12 pm; 2 pm-5 pm; Free entry on Fridays from 9 am-12 pm. Closed on Mondays and public holidays.
Admission: Small fee to enter the Military Museum
Also within the Cidadela is the Domus Municipalis, Portugal's oldest town hall, the 16th century-18th century Igreja de Santa Maria, a unique 15th century pillory on a stone pig motif base and the quirky Iberian Museum of the Mask and the Costume (Museu Ibérico da Máscara e do Traje).
There are a number of bars, cafes and restaurants within the Cidadela's walls which do good business throughout the day and night in the main tourist season in summer. It is slightly cooler up here with more chance of a pleasant breeze on hot summer's nights.
