Bom Jesus do Monte

The sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Monte in Braga
UNESCO world heritage
	Basilica with the end of the stairs
National territory:	Portugal
Type:	Culture
Criteria :	(iv)
Reference No .:	1590
UNESCO region :	Europe and North America
	History of enrollment
Enrollment:	2019 ( session 43 )

Bom Jesus do Monte ( German Good Jesus from the Mountains ) is a Roman Catholic shrine in Tenões on the eastern outskirts of Braga in northern Portugal . The sanctuary is a notable example of a place of pilgrimage. The most striking feature are the monumental baroque stairs that lead over a height difference of 116 meters. It is a major tourist attraction in the city of Braga.

This important pilgrimage site since 1970 national monument and stood since 2017 on the Tentative List for World Heritage in Portugal . In July 2019 it was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO .

In 2015 the church was awarded the title of a minor basilica by Pope Francis as the third church in the city of Braga .

history

On the heights of Espinho, on the site of today's basilica, a cross was erected as early as the 14th century, possibly after the battle of the Salado in 1340. In 1373 a small chapel followed on the Sacri Monti and a larger one in the year 1494. Over the years the chapel became too small for the numerous pilgrims, so in 1522, 1629 and 1722 larger churches were built. The current construction of the sanctuary began in 1722 under the Archbishop of Braga, Rodrigo de Moura Teles; his coat of arms is on the door at the beginning of the stairs. Under his direction, the first staircase with chapels dedicated to the Via Crucis was completed. The construction of the current church and the third part of the staircase began in 1784 under Archbishop Gaspar de Bragança , was completed in 1811 and renovated several times over the years.

investment

Staircase of the sanctuary

With the mountain terrace and the imposing, wide baroque monumental staircase , Bom Jesus do Monte is considered one of the most beautiful pilgrimage churches in Portugal. The complex with a western view of Braga is located on the slope of the Espinho above the Este , a right tributary of the Ave , in the middle of a large park with forest, lush flowers and a small lake. The sanctuary has a total area of about 30 hectares and belongs to the Brotherhood of Bom Jesus do Monte, founded in 1629. The pilgrims' quarters were converted into hotels.

The zigzag staircase is interrupted by 17 stations. These are decorated in the baroque style with symbolic fountains and allegorical statues on a wide variety of topics: the suffering of Jesus , the five senses and the Christian virtues . At the top are eight biblical figures who were involved in the condemnation of Jesus.

From Braga, the staircase with 581 steps overcomes the 116 m difference in height and ends in the forecourt of the church. The Elevador do Bom Jesus , donated by Manuel Joaquim Gomes in 1882, leads up parallel to the stairs . The oldest cable car on the Iberian Peninsula and the world's oldest functioning water ballast lift overcomes the difference in altitude in just 3 minutes with the help of hydropower.

basilica

The current classical church was built in 1784 in the Italian style based on a design by Carlos Amarante. It has the floor plan of a cruciform church with an octagonal crossing tower . The double tower facade with bells in both towers is characterized by a high triangular gable. On the sides of the main door are the statues of the prophets Jeremiah and Isaiah in niches between the six meter high columns . In the middle, above the large window, is the coat of arms of John VI. from Portugal , who placed the sanctuary under royal protection in 1822. In the sober and spacious interior of the church, the paintings by Pedro Alexandrino from the 18th century are particularly noteworthy.

Right next to the church is the Brotherhood Museum with objects of sacred art and the library created in 1918.