Portugal Expert®
October , 2024
Sítio da Nazaré is an area of the city of Nazaré, known for its breathtaking views and for being a place filled with heritage and tradition.
Nazaré has only recently started to be inhabited on the lower part of the city because up until the 17th century the sea came all the way up to the cliffs. Therefore, this is one of the older parts of Nazaré.
The imposing cliff offers a never ending view of the ocean, the long sandy beach and the small labyrinth streets that face the sea.
Sítio da Nazaré is also the place of the ‘Legend of Nazaré’. The Legend says that on September 14th 1182 a nobleman called Dom Fuas Roupinho was hunting in the area. He was chasing a deer that suddenly disappeared. It was a foggy day and Dom Fuas Roupinho noticed that the animal jumped off the cliff but it was too late for him to stop his horse. Just before he fell off the cliff he prayed out loud for the Virgin Mary to help him and his request was answered. He was safe. The chapel that you can visit on the edge of the cliff, built on the 12th century, was ordered by Dom Fuas Roupinho. There you can see the print of the horseshoe that was carved into stone when Virgin Mary saved the horse rider.
Nazaré was always a mystical place and legend says that in the 4th century a monk had brought an image of Virgin Mary from Nazareth, Israel to Mérida in Spain. A few centuries later, Visigoth King Rodrigo and a friar brought the image to Nazaré and hid it in a cave. On the 12th century the image was found by shepherds. The Sanctuary in Sítio da Nazaré still worships this image. The Our Lady of Nazaré Sanctuary started on the 14th century, ordered by King Dom Fernando. It was profoundly refurbished on the 17th century. The Church in the Sanctuary is spectacular and its interior is beautiful covered in golden details.
The Sítio da Nazaré is also a common place for local shops where you can buy souvenirs. It is very usual to find older ‘nazarenas’ (women from Nazaré), sometimes dressed in their traditional clothes, selling food on the street.
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