Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Monte
Baroque pilgrimage sanctuary with monumental zigzag stairway in Braga.
The Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Monte, a Catholic shrine in Tenões near Braga in northern Portugal, translates to "Good Jesus of the Mount." It is a prominent Christian pilgrimage site, featuring a monumental Baroque staircase that rises 116 meters (381 feet) and serves as a major tourist draw for Braga. The site was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site on 7 July 2019.
While hilltops in Portugal and Europe have long been places of worship, the first record of a chapel on this hill dates to 1373, dedicated to the Holy Cross and rebuilt in the 15th and 16th centuries. In 1629, a pilgrimage church dedicated to Bom Jesus was built, accompanied by six chapels focused on the Passion of Christ. Construction of the current sanctuary began in 1722 under Archbishop Rodrigo de Moura Telles, whose coat of arms appears at the stairway’s entrance. He oversaw the first row of stairs, with chapels for the Via Crucis featuring terra cotta sculptures of the Passion, and the next zigzag segment dedicated to the Five Senses, each represented by a fountain. A Baroque church designed by architect Manuel Pinto Vilalobos was built around 1725.
Work on the chapels, stairway, and church continued through the 18th century. Behind the church, in the Terreiro dos Evangelistas, three octagonal chapels were built in the 1760s, depicting post-Crucifixion scenes like Jesus meeting Mary Magdalene, with their exterior design attributed to architect André Soares. Four Baroque fountains with statues of the Evangelists were added around the same time. Around 1781, Archbishop Gaspar de Bragança added a third zigzag stairway dedicated to the Three Theological Virtues—Faith, Hope, and Charity—each with its own fountain, bringing the total steps to 583. The old church was replaced by a Neoclassic one designed by Carlos Amarante, begun in 1784, with interior decoration completed in the early 19th century and consecration in 1834. Its main altarpiece honors the Crucifixion.
In the 19th century, the area around the church and stairway was turned into a park. In 1882, the Bom Jesus funicular, the first in the Iberian Peninsula and still operating, was built to connect Braga to the hill. The sanctuary has been classified as a Property of Public Interest since 1970.
The sanctuary’s design, with its Baroque zigzag stairways, influenced other Portuguese sites like the Santuário de Nossa Senhora dos Rem
- location
- Tenões, outside Braga, northern Portugal
- type
- Catholic shrine and pilgrimage site
- construction_started
- 1722
- architect_of_1725_church
- Manuel Pinto Vilalobos
- architect_of_new_church
- Carlos Amarante
- UNESCO_inscription_date
- 7 July 2019
- elevation_to_minor_basilica
- 5 July 2015
Lore & Background
The first indication of a chapel on the Bom Jesus hill dates from 1373, dedicated to the Holy Cross, rebuilt in the 15th and 16th centuries. In 1629 a pilgrimage church was built dedicated to the Bom Jesus, with six chapels dedicated to the Passion of Christ. The present Sanctuary’s construction started in 1722 under the patronage of Archbishop Rodrigo de Moura Telles, whose coat of arms is seen over the gateway. Under his direction, the first stairway row with chapels dedicated to the Via Crucis was completed, each decorated with terra cotta sculptures depicting the Passion. He also sponsored the next zigzag stairway dedicated to the Five Senses, each sense represented by a different fountain. A Baroque church was built around 1725 by architect Manuel Pinto Vilalobos.
In the 1760s, three octagonal chapels were built behind the church, with statues depicting episodes after the Crucifixion; their exterior design is attributed to architect André Soares. Around 1781, Archbishop Gaspar de Bragança added a third zigzag stairway dedicated to the Three Theological Virtues, each with its fountain, bringing the total staircase to 583 steps. The old church was demolished and a new Neoclassic church was built by architect Carlos Amarante, begun in 1784, decorated in the early 19th century, and consecrated in 1834. In the 19th century, the area was turned into a park, and in 1882 the water balance Bom Jesus funicular was built, the first in the Iberian Peninsula, still in use.
Reader's Guide
The Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Monte is significant as a major Christian pilgrimage site and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, inscribed on 7 July 2019. Its design, with Baroque nature emphasized by zigzag stairways, influenced other sites in Portugal and Brazil, such as the Santuário de Nossa Senhora dos Remédios in Lamego and the Santuário do Bom Jesus de Matosinhos in Congonhas, Brazil. Pilgrims traditionally climbed the stairs on their knees, encountering a theological program contrasting the senses of the material world with the virtues of the spirit, while experiencing scenes of the Passion of Christ. The presence of fountains along the stairways symbolizes purification. The new church by Carlos Amarante (built 1784–1834) was one of the first Neoclassic churches in Portugal. The sanctuary was elevated to a Minor Basilica on 5 July 2015 by Pope Francis. It has been classified as Property of Public Interest since 1970.
Did You Know?
- The stairway climbs 116 meters (381 feet) and has 583 steps.
- The Bom Jesus funicular, built in 1882, was the first funicular in the Iberian Peninsula and is still in use.
- The sanctuary was elevated to a Minor Basilica on 5 July 2015 by Pope Francis.
- The design of the sanctuary influenced the Santuário do Bom Jesus de Matosinhos in Congonhas, Brazil.
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