Inside the Forte de S.Francisco, is located the Church of Santa Catarina, belonging to the former S.Francisco convent. It was built in the century. XVI. Until 1942 here was the tomb of D. Afonso son of D. João I, transferred to the Pantheon of the Dukes of Bragança in Vila Viçosa.

In the early days of nationality, the convent of S. João da Veiga belonging to the Order of the Templars was founded on the outskirts of the then town of Chaves, which later became consecrated to the Order of Soledade de São Francisco.

In 1629, the Provincial Chapter of the Order of Soledade de São Francisco, celebrated in Vila Viçosa, chaired by Father Frei Bernardino da Serra, determined to look in Chaves for a new convent, the chosen place was a hill bordering the village called Alto da Pedisqueira. Thus, in 1635, the first stone was laid for the construction of the convent, dedicated to Nossa Senhora do Rosário. The help of his patron, the 8th Duke of Bragança, D. João IV of Portugal, contributed to its construction. For military reasons, and roughly on the same date, the fort of N.ª S.ª do Rosário was built, a work consisting of bastions and drawbridge, which throughout the Restoration War would constitute an excellent defense of the town square in Chaves.