Description of the attraction
The Church of Santa Maria was built at the end of the 15th century, namely in 1498, and is located in Prince Henry Square, named after King Henry the Navigator.
Since the second half of the 17th century, the Church of Santa Maria has been the parish church of Lagos. Until that time, the church of Santa Maria da Graça served as the parish church in the city, which was destroyed by fire when an earthquake struck in 1755. At the end of the 19th century, the Church of Santa Maria was restored, only the portal of the temple, which dates back to the 16th century and overlooks the square, has survived from the original building. The Renaissance portal is surrounded by Doric columns; at the top you can see the sculptural busts of the apostles Peter and Paul. On the sides there are two symmetrical bell towers.
The original name of the temple is the Church of Mercy, and after the restoration work, in the 16th century, the church began to be called Santa Maria. Inside the church has one nave, there is a baptistery-baptist, the ceiling of the church is wooden. The main chapel, which is located on a dais, attracts attention with its decoration. It is worth noting that the place for the choir in the church is also located on a dais. To approach the altar that adorns the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ, visitors pass through an arch. Also inside the church there are images of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Virgin of Mercy, which date back to the second half of the 17th century.
