Category: Religious Architecture > Church
District: Aveiro > Ílhavo > Gafanha da Encarnação > Costa Nova
The Church of Nossa Senhora da Saúde is located in Costa Nova, a place in Gafanha da Encarnação, belonging to the municipality of Ílhavo. Its location is characterized by its proximity to the sea, set within the unique environment of Costa Nova, known for its traditional houses and its connection to maritime and summer leisure activities.
The presence of a place of worship in Costa Nova has ancient roots. Due to the distance from other temples in the region, there was a felt need for a chapel dedicated to Nossa Senhora da Saúde here. The first, modest and made of wood, appeared around 1822 or 1824, erected with the effort and contributions of local fishing communities, known as "companhas".
Over time, and with the development of Costa Nova as both a fishing and a summer resort area, that original chapel proved insufficient. This led to the construction of a new temple in 1890, a larger chapel that served the community for many decades, witnessing the growth and changes of the place.
The structure that today stands out in the Costa Nova landscape is the church built in the year 2000. It assumed the role of the mother church, continuing to be the center of devotion to Nossa Senhora da Saúde. This devotion, deeply rooted in the people connected to the sea and preserved throughout the different phases of Costa Nova's history, remains alive and is an important pillar of the community.
The connection between the community, the fishermen, and their patroness is celebrated annually, gathering devotees and visitors as a testament to local faith, history, and culture, keeping alive a tradition that dates back to the early settlement of Costa Nova.
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt
Coordinates DD: 40.6130675,-8.7521182
Coordinates DMS: 40°36'47.0"N 08°45'7.6"W
