O Edifício do Seminário dos Missionários Apostólicos de Vinhais: espaço sacro no contexto histórico da vila de Vinhais (Bragança)

This paper is both focused on the analysis of the Saint Francisco’s church and Apostolic Missionaries Seminary complex located in Vinhais (Bragança), highlithing their historical and cultural values within the construction of the local identity since the 17th century. Accordingly, an analysis of the building’s architecture is made towards to a deep understanding of the several transformations that were carried out in this religious space. Considering the lack of perception of its importance by the local community, it became crucial to study and disseminate this architectonic complex: church and seminary/ monastery in order to justify all the decision making within its safeguard. As part of this villages’s heritage, this monument contributed to its social identity development. e survey of the site characteristics made possible to verify the relationship with the landscape. Although the site remains almost unchanged, the built complex accompanied the urban growth maintaining its function as a central issue in the space organization of the village and remaining also a repository of all the historical changes and continuities.