The history of Nazare begins in the 4th century. It was then that the monk Romano brought the statue of Our Lady of the Black Madonna to this place from Nazareth. This statue is located today in the church of Nossa Senhora da Nazaré, shown in the picture.
According to legend, this monk lived in a cave near the new settlement of Nazaré. After his death Roderick king Visigoths built a small chapel in his honour, where he placed the statue of the Virgin Mary. The church we see called “Church of Nossa Senhora da Nazaré” was built in 1377 by King Fernando I of Portugal. Between the fourteenth and nineteenth centuries this building was rebuilt many times. Despite this, it still retains the Baroque style characteristic of this region of Portugal.
This picture of the church of Nossa Senhora da Nazaré was taken just after sunset. The church is located on a hill above the town of Nazare. A walk “up the hill” is not the easiest if you carry kilograms of photographic equipment. However, the views from this place are so picturesque that a bit of “sport” pays off for sure.
