In the heart of the Old Town, in the city of Vila Real, the small chapel of São Brás is the oldest temple and the one that best illustrates the early history of the town. Its construction dates back to the decades following the founding of the city, which took place on January 4, 1289, by order of D. Dinis.
From an artistic point of view, the chapel bears witness to the modest resources that the community had in these early years, but it is listed as a national monument for its historical importance.
The interior, with a quadrangular floor plan, is transformed into a funerary chapel, full of arcosolia, where some of the most important men of the late medieval city were buried. The most important tomb preserved here is that of João Teixeira de Macedo, of the Royal Council, who distinguished himself in the service of D. Afonso V, in North Africa.
Attached to the Chapel of São Brás is the Church of São Dinis, built in the 14th century.