Category: Civil Architecture > Museum
District: Braga > Póvoa de Lanhoso > Póvoa de Lanhoso > Portela
The Statue of Maria da Fonte is located in the parish of Fontarcada, belonging to the municipality of Póvoa de Lanhoso. Its current location, defined in 2022, places it on the access avenue to the emblematic Romanesque Church of Fontarcada. This site is of particular historical importance, as it was here that the events that would profoundly mark the country began.
The statue pays homage to the Maria da Fonte Revolution, a popular movement that began in Fontarcada in the spring of 1846. This uprising was led by hundreds of women from the municipality of Póvoa de Lanhoso, who, taking advantage of the discontent generated by the "Health Laws," openly challenged the new liberal authorities. The revolt quickly spread through Minho and across the entire national territory, culminating in the resignation of the government at the time.
Over the years, the figure of Maria da Fonte has become a symbol of the fight for justice and equality in Portugal, representing the strength and determination of the people.
The statue, by the Braga-born sculptor Jorge Ulisses, was originally dedicated in Póvoa de Lanhoso in 1978. Its reinstallation in Fontarcada, in 2022, had the fundamental purpose of honoring collective memory and giving the work the prominence it deserved in the exact place where the revolution unfolded. This initiative aims to reinforce the monument's connection to its historical origin, offering a materialization of the courage and spirit of resistance characteristic of the region.
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt
Coordinates DD: 41.5758727,-8.2702246
Coordinates DMS: 41°34'33.1"N 08°16'12.8"W
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