Like many of Portugal's early cathedrals the Sé da Guarda appears part church, part fortress. Plans for the cathedral date back as far as the early 13th century, a time when much of Portugal had only just been clawed back from the Moors and wars...
Its proximity to the Spanish border means that this whole area of the Beira region is dotted with fortifications and hilltop villages, and Guarda is no exception. Indeed its very name is an indication of its 'guarding' role....
