🎬 Introduction
The Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Monte, elevated to the status of a minor basilica in 2015, is a stunning architectural and landscape complex with deep religious significance. Located on the slopes of Mount Espinho, about 5 km from the center of Braga, it makes for a perfect day trip from 🔗 Porto to Braga. The complex includes a church, a unique staircase featuring the Stations of the Cross, a funicular, as well as parks, gardens, and hotels.
In the following text 📖 and accompanying video 🎥, we explore the history and importance of this remarkable site.
⛪ History and legend
The history of the sanctuary dates back to at least the 14th century. However, legend has it that Gonçalo Pereira, the then-prelate of Braga and a devoted follower of the Holy Cross, attributed the victory in the Battle of Salado—where his son also fought—to the appearance of a cross in the sky above Mount Espinho. In response, the Archbishop and the people of Braga rushed to the site to erect a cross and build a small chapel.
The religious and cultural significance of this site grew significantly after the establishment of the Brotherhood of Bom Jesus do Monte in 1629 by a group of faithful from Braga. The brotherhood’s mission was to revive the waning devotion to the Holy Cross, a practice promoted by European bishops in the 16th century. The name of the sanctuary, “Sanctuary of the Good Jesus of the Mount”, reflects its spiritual purpose. The entire complex is designed to evoke Jerusalem and the Holy Mount, creating a harmonious blend of nature and architecture that inspires prayer and contemplation. Bom Jesus embodies Portuguese Baroque art, which, more than just a style, engages the senses and creates an extraordinary experience, captivating visitors from multiple perspectives.
The basilica at the summit is reached by a unique Stations of the Cross, combining a nearly forested path with stairways and terraces, along which chapels, fountains, and allegorical sculptures are placed. Today, visitors can ascend either by foot or via the world’s oldest water-powered funicular, which has been in continuous operation since 1882. The funicular’s track stretches 274 meters (899 feet), with a height difference of 116 meters (381 feet). The one-way journey takes less than four minutes. The two cars, traveling in opposite directions, are powered solely by the filling and emptying of water tanks beneath them, using a counterweight system.
🙏 The Staircase
The staircase consists of 581 steps and is divided into three sections. The lowest section, known as the Portico Stairs, is associated with the events leading up to the death of Christ. The portico is adorned with an arch bearing the coat of arms—featuring seven castles—of Archbishop Rodrigo de Moura Teles, the main initiator of the sanctuary’s construction in 1723. The portico is further embellished with two fountains—the Sun and Moon fountains. These fountains, along with many other water features scattered throughout the complex, symbolize the need for continuous quenching of thirst, the strengthening of one’s spirit, and the symbolic cleansing of body and soul.
The most recognizable part of the staircase is the Five Senses Stairs, dedicated to sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch. These stairs are adorned with 15 statues and 6 fountains, each symbolizing a different sense. Divided into five levels, the stairs are considered an allegory of the human body, drawing on Aristotle’s philosophy that nothing reaches the intellect without first passing through the senses. The fountains are notable for their water jets that correspond to their respective organs, such as eyes or nose. Each statue nearby corresponds to the associated sense. Everything on these stairs has its own symbolism and meaning, even the order of the senses is deliberate, moving from the most deceptive, sight, to the most tangible, touch.
The final stage is the Three Virtues Stairs—Faith, Hope, and Charity—leading to the temple. These stairs, dating from 1837, mark the culmination of Christ’s torturous journey. They lead to a quadrangular courtyard called the Pelican Square, previously known as the Land of Moses, once crowned by a statue of Moses atop the Phoenix or Pelican waterfall. The pelican, a bird that tears open its own chest to feed its young with its blood, symbolizes Christ’s sacrifice.
The basilica at the summit, designed by Carlos Amarante at the request of Archbishop Gaspar de Bragança, was constructed between 1784 and 1811. It replaced an earlier church built at the beginning of the Way of the Cross in the first half of the 18th century. The current temple, built in the shape of a Latin cross, is one of the first examples of neoclassical style in Portugal. It features two bell towers, and in front of the entrance is the Evangelists’ Courtyard, adorned with fountains, statues of saints, and three chapels that reference events after Jesus’ resurrection. The interior of the basilica is highlighted by the main altar, which features Mount Calvary, elevated on a single granite stone. The image of the crucified Christ was commissioned in Italy by Archbishop Gaspar de Bragança in 1776.
