http://www.authorstream.com/Presentation/sandamichaela-1972751-viana-castelo6/

Resting majestically atop a mountainside overlooking Viana do Castelo is the basilica of Santa Luzia – formally called the Temple of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (“Templo do Sagrado Coração de Jesus”). Amid the eucalyptus aroma of its surrounding trees, the church overlooks Viana do Castelo and its port on one side – looking out to the Atlantic – and the River Lima valley on the other.

During the Middle Ages, there was a modest chapel in this place, dedicated to Santa Águeda do Monte (Saint Agatha of the Mount), which was rebuilt in 1664 and enlarged in 1712, consecrated then to Nossa Senhora da Abadia (Our Lady of the Abbey). From then on, the cult of Santa Luzia (Saint Lucy), the virgin-martyr patroness of sight, grew immensely, and so its devotees shifted the saint’s image from the side altar to the main altar, permanently changing the patron of the chapel and transferring her name to the mount where it stands.

The Basilica or Temple of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, better known as Temple of Santa Luzia is situated on a hill of that name in the city of Viana do Castelo, from where one sees a unique view of the region, which brings the sea, River Lima (lethes) with its valley, and the whole complex mountainous landscape as one of the best in the world according to National Geographic.

The project of the church is the architect Miguel Ventura Terra, with obvious inspiration from the Basilica of Sacre Coeur in Montmartre, Paris.Ventura would be replaced in 1925 by architect Miguel Nogueira who supervised the latest phase of works. Built on a plant in the form of a Greek cross. Its architecture has elements of neo-Romanesque, Byzantine and Gothic.

The early work was in 1903 by Father Antonio Martins Carneiro

Opened for worship in 1926, the work continued until 1943. Since 1923 the sanctuary is served by lift Santa Luzia. The sanctuary Also compreende the "Museum Center Temple-Monument Santa Luzia", Consisting of a room at the bottom of the basilica. The collection Consists of carvings, pictures, tiles, and others.

The lift or funicular of Santa Luzia has two cabins and takes passengers from the city center of Viana do Castelo to the hill of Santa Luzia

Lift or Funicular of Santa Luzia

At the entrance is placed a bronze statue of the Sacred Heart erected in 1898 Sculptor Aleixo Queiroz Ribeiro (1868-1917)

Inside, the altar has two angels by the sculptor Leopoldo de Almeida (1898-1975), in the center is the heart of Jesus (replica of the work in bronze by sculptor Aleixo Queiroz Ribeiro) by the young sculptor Martin de Brito,

The works were carved in marble of Vila Viçosa

Santa Luzia

The fresco represents the Way of the Cross and the Ascension of Christ in the dome, Author: Manuel Pereira da Silva (1920 – 2003), a Portuguese sculptor.

The stained-glass rose windows were executed in the workshop of Richard Leone, in Lisbon

Text: InternetPictures: Sanda Foişoreanu Gabriela Cristescu InternetCopyrights of the photos belong to each photographer

Presentation: Sanda Foişoreanuwww.slideshare.net/michaelasanda

Sound: Márcio Gonçalves - Fado Santa Luzia; Amália Rodrigues - Que Deus me perdoe; Caminhos de Deus