Leiria - Sé de Leiria

The Romans named the town "Collippo". It was occupied by the Suebi in 414 and later incorporated by Leovigild into the Visigoths kingdom in 585 A.D. Later the Moors occupied the area until it was re-captured by the first King of Portugal, Afonso Henriques in 1135, during the Reconquista.

Both Afonso I of Portugal and Sancho I rebuilt the walls and the Leiria Castle to avoid new enemy incursions. Most of the population lived inside the protective city walls, but already in the 12th century part of the population lived outside the walls.
In the late 14th century, King John I built a royal palace within the walls of the castle of Leiria. This palace, with elegant gothic galleries that offered wonderful views of the town and surrounding landscape, was totally in ruins but was partially rebuilt in the 20th century.

Leiria Cathedral was built between 1550 and 1574. The city had been elevated to a diocese in 1545, thanks to a request of John III to Pope Paul III. Because the existing churches were too small for the population, building a new one is needed suitable for the new church dignity.

The building was later altered successive stages, according to the taste of the bishops of the diocese. The cathedral was partially destroyed in the 1755 Lisbon earthquake, so reforms that gave the current robust appearance were made. The building was also damaged during the Peninsular War in 1811, French troops set fire, destroying much of its interior decoration.