A city in the municipality of Braga northwestern Portugal considered the oldest Christian archdiocese in the country and one of the oldest in the world. Under the Roman Empire, known as Bracara Augusta was the center of the province of Gallaecia.

With a total urban population of around 180.000 inhabitants is the third-largest city in Portugal (after Lisbon and Porto), including the city and suburban parishes.

Its agglomerated urban area extends from the Cavado River to the Easte River. Braga is also the Minho´s greater metropolitan area  which includes a population of around 800.000 (2007 statistics), considered one of the fastest growing urban areas in the European Union.