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Bom Jesus do Monte is a Portuguese sanctuary in Tenões, outside the city of Braga. Its name means Good Jesus of the Mount.The Sanctuary is a notable example of pilgrimage site with a monumental, Baroque stairway that climbs 116 metres (381 feet). It is an important tourist attraction of Braga. Many hilltops in Portugal and other parts of Europe have been sites of religious devotion since antiquity, and it is possible that the Bom Jesus hill was one of these. However, the first indication of a chapel over the hill dates from 1373. This chapel - dedicated to the Holy Cross - was rebuilt in the 15th and 16th centuries. In 1629 a pilgrimage church was built dedicated to the Bom Jesus (Good Jesus), with six chapels dedicated to the Passion of Christ. The present Sanctuary started being built in 1722, under the patronage of the Archbishop of Braga, Rodrigo de Moura Telles. His coat of arms is seen over the gateway, in the beginning of the stairway. Under his direction the first stairway row, with chapels dedicated to the Via Crucis, were completed

Sao Longuinhos equestrian statue

The sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Monte is seeking UNESCO's World Heritage status as part of its 200th anniversary celebrations, reported Lusa news agency

The present Sanctuary started being built in 1722, under the patronage of the Archbishop of Braga, Rodrigo de Moura Telles. His coat of arms is seen over the gateway, in the beginning of the stairway. Under his direction the first stairway row, with chapels dedicated to the Via Crucis, were completed. Each chapel is decorated with terra cotta sculptures depicting the Passion of Christ.

He also sponsored the next segment of stairways, which has a zigzag shape and is dedicated to the Five Senses.

Each sense (Sight, Smell, Hearing, Touch, Taste) is represented by a different fountain.

At the end of this stairway, a Baroque church was built around 1725 by architect Manuel Pinto Vilalobos.

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 the Three Theological Virtues: Faith, Hope and Charity, each with its fountain. The old church was demolished and a new one was built following a Neoclassic design by architect Carlos Amarante. This new church, began in 1784, had its interior decorated in the beginning of the 19th century and was consecrated in 1834. The main altarpiece is dedicated to the Crucifixion.

In 1882, to facilitate the access to the Sanctuary, the water balance Bom Jesus funicular was built linking the city of Braga to the hill.

In the 19th century, the area around the church and stairway was expropriated and turned into a park

This was the first funicular to be built in the Iberian Peninsula and is still in use

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 (like Lamego) and colonial Brazil, like the Sanctuary of Congonhas

The new church (built 1784–1834) by Carlos Amarante was one of the first Neoclassic churches of Portugal.

There are three ways to arrive at the top of Bom Jesus. First, you can drive. Second, you can walk. Third, you can ride the funicular rail. The funicular rail consists of two sets of cars, one at the top and the other at the bottom. Spring water flows into a tank of the car on top. When it is full, the weight of the water carries the car down and pulls the other one up. Upon reaching the bottom, the water is drained as the other at the top begins to fill with water.

Sao Longuinhos equestrian statue

The Minho receives the most moisture of any area in Portugal and consequently is the most lush and green.

Nossa Senhora Das Dores (Our Lady of Sorrows)

Nossa Senhora Das Dores (Our Lady of Sorrows)

Sao Longuinhos equestrian statue

Hotel do Elevador

Hotel do Elevador

Text: InternetPictures: Internet Sanda Foişoreanu Gabriela CristescuCopyrights of the photos belong to each photographer

Presentation: Sanda Foişoreanuwww.slideshare.net/michaelasanda

Sound: Amalia Rodrigues - Trova do vento que passa; Na rua do silencio