Chapels and Sanctuaries

• History
• Cultural heritage
• Religion

In Arganil and Serra do Açor, there are several chapels and sanctuaries that you can visit. You can also enjoy important religious itineraries of these regions, privileged spaces of historical memory, inserted in unique places, in perfect communion with the surrounding nature. Of all of them, the following stand out:

Sanctuary of Our Lady of Mont' Alto

The Sanctuary of Nossa Senhora do Mont’ Alto has an undeniable beauty. It is located at an altitude of 615 meters, with a privileged view over the village of Arganil. It was built at the request of Francisco Pires, in 1521, and the current building dates from 1796.

Inside, the 18th century carvings, the Ara do Altar-Mor stones, dating from 1680, the Santa Luzia sculpture, from the 16th century, stand out. XV, in limestone and the image of Santa Ana in wood, from the century. XVIII (VisitPortugal).

The chapel can be seen from long distances; however, a visit to its interior is recommended, as its greatest charm lies in its architectural and natural heritage. From Mont’ Alto, it is possible to see the valley of the River Alva, the mountains of Serra do Açor and Serra da Estrela, and many of the towns and villages of this very rich region of Beira Serra.

Our Lady of Prayers

Dating back to the 16th century, it is one of the most beautiful sanctuaries in Portugal. It was built due to the belief in the appearance of Nossa Senhora das Preces, in 1371, at the top of the Colcurinho hill. Due to the inaccessibility of that place, with “steep, rough paths and uneven terrain”, this sanctuary was then built, a little further down, in the Maceira Valley.

A Sanctuary conceived apart from all the others, it has, in addition to the church dedicated to the Lady in question, a Way of the Cross with eleven chapels dedicated to the Passion of Christ, a Chapel of the Last Supper and another of the Nativity scene, all with full-size figures. and is also enriched by fountains, lakes and a monumental staircase in the Baroque style (idem).

In order not to lose the tradition of the place, in 1762, a chapel was built on top of Monte do Colcurinho, which was named “Capela da Nossa Senhora das Necessidades”.

Chapel of Alto do Monte do Colcurinho

The chapel of Monte do Colcurinho is about 14 km from Aldeia da Dez, one of the 5 schist villages from Serra do Açor. This one, rises to 1244 meters of altitude, where we can almost “touch the sky” and observe the horizon that extends from the Serras da Estrela to Serra do Caramulo and from Serra de Montemuro to Serra do Açor.

It was in this place, in 1371, that a shepherd found the image of Nossa Senhora das Preces, while grazing his flock in this place. This find allowed the construction of the Sanctuary of Nossa Senhora das Preces, in Vale Maceira, and the Chapel of Nossa Senhora das Necessidades, built on this same hill.

It is certainly a unique place, of rare beauty, where you can observe one of the best sunrises and sunsets in Portugal. From here, with the right atmospheric conditions, it is possible to observe the Atlantic Ocean, which is approximately 90 km away.