| Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Monte | |
|---|---|
Santuário do Bom Jesus do Monte | |
 Stairway and church of Bom Jesus do Monte | |
 Interactive map of the Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Monte area | |
| General information | |
| Location | Braga, Portugal |
| Coordinates | 41°33′17.8″N8°22′37.3″W / 41.554944°N 8.377028°W /41.554944; -8.377028 |
| Official name | Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Monte in Braga |
| Criteria | Cultural: (iv) |
| Reference | 1590 |
| Inscription | 2019 (43rdSession) |
| Area | 26 ha (64 acres) |
| Buffer zone | 232 ha (570 acres) |
| Type | Non-movable |
| Criteria | National Monument |
| Designated | 15 December 2020 |
| Reference no. | IPA.00005694 |
TheSanctuary of Bom Jesus do Monte is aPortuguese Catholic shrine inTenões, outside the city ofBraga, in northernPortugal. Its name meansGoodJesus of the Mount.
This sanctuary is a notable example ofChristian pilgrimage site with a monumental,Baroquestairway that climbs 116 meters (381 feet). It is an importanttourist attraction of Braga.
On 7 July 2019, the Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Monte in Braga was inscribed as aUNESCOWorld Heritage Site.[1]
Many hilltops in Portugal and other parts of Europe have been sites of religious devotion sinceantiquity, and it is possible that the Bom Jesus hill was one of these. However, the first indication of achapel over the hill dates from 1373. This chapel - dedicated to theHoly Cross - was rebuilt in the 15th and 16th centuries. In 1629 a pilgrimage church was built dedicated to theBom Jesus (Good Jesus), with six chapels dedicated to thePassion of Christ.
The present Sanctuary started being built in 1722, under the patronage of theArchbishop of Braga, Rodrigo de Moura Telles. Hiscoat of arms is seen over the gateway, in the beginning of the stairway. Under his direction the first stairway row, with chapels dedicated to theVia Crucis, were completed. Each chapel is decorated withterra cotta sculptures depicting the Passion of Christ. He also sponsored the next segment of stairways, which has azigzag shape and is dedicated to theFive Senses. Each sense (Sight, Smell, Hearing, Touch, Taste) is represented by a differentfountain. At the end of this stairway, a Baroque church was built around 1725 by architect Manuel Pinto Vilalobos.
The works on the first chapels, stairways and church proceeded through the 18th century. In an area behind the church (theTerreiro dos Evangelistas), three octagonal chapels were built in the 1760s with statues depicting episodes that occur after theCrucifixion, like the meeting of Jesus withMary Magdalene. The exterior design of the beautiful chapels is attributed to renowned Braga architectAndré Soares. Around these chapels there are four Baroque fountains with statues of theEvangelists, also dating from the 1760s.
Around 1781, archbishop Gaspar de Bragança decided to complete the ensemble by adding a third segment of stairways and a new church. The third stairway also follows a zigzag pattern and is dedicated to theThree Theological Virtues: Faith, Hope and Charity, each with its fountain. Overall the staircase has 583 steps. The old church was demolished and a new one was built following a Neoclassic design by architectCarlos Amarante. This new church, began in 1784, had its interior decorated in the beginning of the 19th century and was consecrated in 1834. The mainaltarpiece is dedicated to the Crucifixion.
In the 19th century, the area around the church and stairway was expropriated and turned into a park. In 1882, to facilitate the access to the Sanctuary, thewater balanceBom Jesus funicular was built linking the city of Braga to the hill. This was the first funicular to be built in theIberian Peninsula and is still in use.
The Sanctuary has been classified as Property of Public Interest since 1970.[2]
The design of the Sanctuary of Bom Jesus, with its Baroque nature emphasised by the zigzag form of its stairways, influenced many other sites in Portugal (likeLamego) andcolonial Brazil, like the Sanctuary ofCongonhas. As the pilgrims climbed the stairs, (by tradition encouraged to do so on their knees) they encountered a theological programme that contrasted the senses of the material world with the virtues of the spirit, at the same time as they experienced the scenes of thePassion of Christ. The culmination of the effort was the temple of God, the church on the top of the hill. The presence of severalfountains along the stairways give the idea of purification of thefaithful.
The new church (built 1784–1834) byCarlos Amarante was one of the firstNeoclassic churches of Portugal.
This church was elevated to a Minor Basilica status on 5 July 2015 byPope Francis.[3]
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