Sanctuary of Nossa Senhora dos Remédios

The Sanctuary of Nossa Senhora dos Remédios (Our Lady of Remedies) stands on Monte de Santo Estêvão in Lamego, at the top of a monumental stairway of 686 steps. It is a Marian shrine in Baroque and Rococo style, built in granite, and one of the pilgrimage sites of the Douro.

Climbing the stairway, you pass chapels, statues, fountains and obelisks before reaching a viewpoint over the town, surrounded by the Santo Estêvão Park.

History

According to the sanctuary's official website, in 1361 Bishop D. Durando commissioned a small hermitage dedicated to Saint Stephen on Monte de Santo Estêvão. In 1568 Bishop D. Manuel de Noronha authorised its demolition and the building of a new chapel, now dedicated to Nossa Senhora dos Remédios. The first stone of the present sanctuary was laid in 1750.

The work dragged on for a long time. The stairway was begun in 1777 and only finished in the 20th century; as for the sanctuary itself, several sources give 1905 as the year of completion, while others describe building phases running to 1969, so the final chronology is presented in different ways. The complex is classified as a property of public interest and is run by the Irmandade de Nossa Senhora dos Remédios (the confraternity of the sanctuary).

The stairway

• It runs in nine flights and starts from Avenida Dr. Alfredo de Sousa in central Lamego.
• The Pátio dos Reis (Kings' Courtyard) has eighteen statues of the kings of Israel linked to the genealogy of the Virgin Mary.
• The Fonte dos Gigantes is 22 metres high; four atlantes standing on dolphins support a 15-metre obelisk decorated with Marian symbols and a star.
• At the top, the church facade is flanked by two bell towers; the high altar holds a wooden image of Nossa Senhora dos Remédios.

The pilgrimage

The main day of the pilgrimage is 8 September. The sources we consulted differ on how long the festivities last: some say 6 to 8 September, another says they begin as early as August. Check the programme with the sanctuary. During the ceremonies the image of Our Lady is carried in procession on ox-drawn carts.

Visiting

The sanctuary is at Monte de Santo Estêvão, 5100-025 Lamego, and its official website lists contact details for arranging ceremonies. To round off your visit, see the town of Lamego, the Sé Catedral de Lamego and the Castelo de Lamego.