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Bom Jesus Do Monte — Bom Jesus basilica above its formal gardens and terracesPhoto: Vlach Pavel · CC0 · edited
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Bom Jesus Do Monte

Churches & cathedrals ·Braga ·Closed
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#1Churches & cathedrals in Braga#2Churches & cathedrals in PortugalMost reviewed in Braga
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About

Bom Jesus do Monte is a Roman Catholic hilltop sanctuary in Tenões, Braga, northern Portugal, with a monumental Baroque stairway.

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Bom Jesus Do Monte — The monumental stairway climbing toward the twin-towered basilica Botafogo · Public domain · edited
Bom Jesus Do Monte — The monumental stairway climbing toward the twin-towered basilicaBom Jesus Do Monte — The sanctuary staircase rising between dark stone wallsBom Jesus Do Monte — Wide view across the sanctuary terraces and central stairwayBom Jesus Do Monte — Upper stairway terraces with statues overlooking the groundsBom Jesus Do Monte — View from the upper terrace across the sanctuary and cityBom Jesus Do Monte — Basilica towers and rooftops seen from the hilltop groundsBom Jesus Do Monte — Flowering garden terrace with clipped shrubs and a fountainBom Jesus Do Monte — Snow-dusted garden path between benches and a small fountainBom Jesus Do Monte — Sculpted religious figures in a grotto-like sanctuary interiorBom Jesus Do Monte — Rock-lined grotto shelter above a shallow poolBom Jesus Do Monte — Stone grotto interior with water pooled beneath its arch

Why go

  • The Five Senses stairway section has a fountain for each sense.
  • Gardens on the hill offer views over Braga.

Opening hours

Today09:00 – 19:00Show all
Monday09:00 – 19:00
Tuesday09:00 – 19:00
Wednesday09:00 – 19:00
Thursday09:00 – 19:00
Friday09:00 – 19:00
Saturday09:00 – 19:00
Sunday09:00 – 19:00

Don't miss

  • Crucifixion altarpieceThe church’s main altarpiece is dedicated to the Crucifixion.Inside the church
  • Jeremiah and IsaiahThe prophets stand in niches between six-metre columns.Flanking the church’s main door
  • Octagonal chapels and Evangelist fountainsThree chapels depict events after the Crucifixion and are surrounded by four Baroque fountains with Evangelist statues.Behind the church

Know before you go

  • Open daily, 09:00–19:00.
  • Requalification and restoration works are underway.
  • Explore the basilica through a virtual guided tour with 2D and 3D plans.

Interesting facts3

1/3

  1. The stairway’s zigzag design influenced religious sites in Portugal and Brazil.

    Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Monte - Wikipedia

  2. The devotional route was conceived as an alternative sacred place to Jerusalem and Palestine.

    History – Confraria do Bom Jesus do Monte

  3. Former pilgrim lodgings have been converted into hotels.

    Bom Jesus do Monte - Wikipedia

Shorts

History

As pilgrimage grew, increasingly large churches were built. In the 19th century, Bom Jesus became Portugal’s largest pilgrimage centre, and the grounds around the church and stairway became a park.

  1. 1373A brotherhood statute mentions a chapel of Santa Cruz visited by pilgrims.
  2. 1494Archbishop D. Jorge da Costa initiated a second hermitage.
  3. 1522D. João da Guarda rebuilt and enlarged the chapel at his own expense.
  4. 1629Devotees formed the Bom Jesus brotherhood and built a chapel, pilgrim shelters and early Passion chapels.
  5. 1722Archbishop Rodrigo de Moura Telles began planning the present sanctuary.
Show all
  1. 1784–1811Carlos Amarante’s church was built.
  2. 1882The funicular opened; it was the first installed in the Iberian Peninsula.
  3. 2015The church became a Minor Basilica.
  4. 2019Bom Jesus do Monte was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List.

How to get there

  • On footFollow the stairway uphill to the sanctuary; the ascent is 116 metres.
  • Cable carThe Elevador do Bom Jesus funicular connects upper Braga with the sanctuary and runs alongside the stairs.

Sources: Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Monte - Wikipedia · Braga - Wikivoyage (see) · Confraria do Bom Jesus do Monte – Bom Jesus do … · Virtual Tour to the Basilica – Confraria do Bom… · History – Confraria do Bom Jesus do Monte · Bom Jesus do Monte - Wikipedia · Sanctuaire Bon-Jésus-du-Mont de Braga - Wikiped… · Santuário do Bom Jesus do Monte - Wikipedia · checked 10 Oct 2026

Where
Estrada do Bom Jesus, Braga

Plan from here: A day out →

Questions and answers

What do the forecourt statues at Bom Jesus do Monte depict?

Eight figures associated with Christ’s condemnation, Passion and death.

Who designed the chapels behind Bom Jesus do Monte’s church?

Their exterior design is attributed to André Soares.

What is the fresco house in Bom Jesus do Monte’s woodland?

A structure made by André Soares around 1751 and moved here in 1919.

When was the present church at Bom Jesus do Monte consecrated?

In 1834.

Who donated the Bom Jesus do Monte funicular?

Manuel Joaquim Gomes, in 1882.

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