Bragashopping is a shopping mall in the city center of Braga. It opened on 6 December 1996 as the result of the expansion of the former Centro Comercial Avenida (opened in the 1980s). The mall includes a Pingo Doce supermarket and, until 2021, a five-room cinema complex.
History The original mall (Centro Comercial Avenida) exists since at least the early 80s, following the demolition of Grande Hotel Central in the late 70s.Bragashopping vai crescer a partir de 2005 Bragashopping was built on the back of Avenida and opened on 6 December 1996.NuguelMusica leva animação de Natal ao aniversário do BragaShopping Following the opening of Minho Center and Braga Parque, it used the tagline "o centro no centro do centro".
In December 2003, the mall planned an expansion of its size starting in 2005
During the pandemic, most shop owners lost their revenue."Aqui dentro até se ouvem os passarinhos". Pequenos centros comerciais de Braga desesperam por reabrir, O Amarense, 9 May 2020, retrieved 11 May 2026
Cinemas The old wing, when it was Centro Comercial Avenida, had its own cinemas (Cinemas Avenida). A fire broke out on the early hours of 18 October 1994 likely due to a short circuit; the materials present at its chairs and walls were highly flammable.Incêndio destrói sala do Cinema Avenida On 25 January 2014, the former Cinemas Avenida complex was occupied by Espaço TOCA.Espaço TOCA é bom exemplo para reinventar centro de Braga, Correio do Minho, 26 January 2014, retrieved 11 May 2026
Bragashopping's new cinemas, originally Cinemas Bragashopping, were opened in 1996 and renamed Cinemax in 2003. When the first state of emergency was declared, Cinemax closed its screens on 16 March 2020.Coronavírus: Cinemas Nos, a maior cadeia de salas portuguesa, fecham nesta segunda-feira After initial restrictions were lifted in October 2020, the cinemas closed in January 2021 with the proclamation of the last state of emergency; when it ended on 1 May, it was still closed.Mesmo com os horários mais normalizados, há quatro salas de cinema que ainda não reabriram
Fires A fire broke out at the food court on 30 September 2021, forcing the evacuation of the mall.Bragashopping evacuado após incêndio A new fire broke out at an esoteric store on the morning of 4 May 2026 at 9:40am, in the new wing (Bragashopping), and was controlled around 11:30.Incêndio em loja causa quatro feridos ligeiros e leva à evacuação do Braga Shopping, Diário do Minho, 4 May 2026 (requires subscription), retrieved 11 May 2026Incêndio em loja esotérica levou a evacuação do Braga Shopping, Correio do Minho, 4 May 2026, retrieved 11 May 2026
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