Although essentially a mediaeval town, Guimarães has its origins in the distant 10th century. It was at this time that the Countess Mumadona Dias, widow of  Hemengildo Mendes ordered the construction of a monastery which became the focal point for a settlement. For its defence she ordered a Castle to be built on a hill a short distance away, thus creating  a second nucleus of development. A street grew-up linking one to the other - the  Rua de Santa Maria.

Later the monastery was to became a chapter house and acquired great importance due to the privileges and donations bestowed on it by kings and nobility.  It became a famous centre for pilgrimage  attracting the prayers and promises of the faithful drawn  from all quarters.

While the town continued to grow inside the walls which were erected to defend it, the orders of poor friars arrived in Guimarães and made their contribution to shaping the town. The twin nuclei subsequently merged into one so that by the 15th century the lay-out of the city within the walls had been established. Although there would still be the construction of some churches, monasteries and palaces and the creation of  Largo de Misericordia (now  João Franco Square) , its alignment would not be significantly altered.

It was from the end of the 19th century, with the advent of new ideas on public health and town planning, that Guimarães, raised to the status of city in 1853 by Queen D. Maria II, would undergo major changes.
The demolition of the city walls was authorised and encouraged. New squares such as Largo de Carmo (today Martins Sarmento square) and Largo Condessa de Juncal were opened, as well as new streets and avenues. Later the Colina da Fundação was landscaped and the Alameda was created. However almost everything was done im harmony with the conservation of its historic town centre.