The Cathedral of Viana, was built by D. João I around 1400, after the completion of the Fernandina walls (1258-1374). It is due to the fact that the old Matriz (S.Salvador do Adro, today Capela das Almas) was outside the walls. The chosen place was the Praça das Armas and in the place of the manegam tower, where previously the meetings between the good men of the county took place. It is a temple with 3 naves stained by broken arches based on square pillars. The length of the transept is the same as that of the central nave. The façade between two battled towers maintains the fortified church design, from the late Gothic of northern Portugal. The initial and most important phase of construction was between 1400-1455, however the works continued through the 16th century. The church suffered several destructions during the Restoration 1640-1668. Several fires completely destroyed the original filling, such as the wooden ceiling, the "Cuenca" tiles, the gold finials that decorated the nave's walls, and the carved Renaissance altarpieces. The Main Chapel was rebuilt from the foundations in 1695. The 1806 fire would again destroy the altarpieces and tiles replaced after the 17th century reconstruction. Only the chapel of Santíssimo and the chapel of Melo Alvim were saved.