Category: Religious Architecture > Church
District: Faro > Faro > Estói > Costa
Situated in the locality of Estói, in the municipality of Faro, the Hermitage of Nossa Senhora do Pé da Cruz is located on Rua do Pé da Cruz, on the outskirts of the village's historic center. Its position, next to an old medieval road, gives it a traditional and harmonious urban setting. In front of the temple, a cruzeiro (stone cross) can be seen, complementing the local atmosphere of devotion.
The Hermitage of Nossa Senhora do Pé da Cruz is a religious monument whose history spans several centuries. Its initial construction dates back to 1600, with the building having undergone various remodeling and adaptation works over time. These interventions have given it an architectural identity that reflects the eras in which it was inhabited and valued, making it a testament to the region's transformations.
The hermitage's architecture stands out for its fusion of different styles. Its main façade, facing west, features Neoclassical elements, such as a straight lintel portal, flanked by two smaller windows, and an upper window, culminating in a triangular pediment. Attached to the building is a simple bell tower, which naturally integrates into the complex.
Inside, the hermitage reveals its artistic richness. The single nave, which may have had an older origin, is adorned with 17th-century patterned tiles, which cover the walls with their traditional motifs. The chancel, in turn, displays a Rococo style altarpiece, characterized by its exuberant ornamentation. Two side altars with painted altarpieces and a square pulpit are also observed, while the choir loft and the barrel vault's mural paintings add visual depth to the sacred space.
More than a historical monument, the Hermitage of Nossa Senhora do Pé da Cruz is a focal point of community life in Estói. Annually, on May 2nd, the temple hosts the Festa da Pinha, one of the most expressive ethnographic manifestations in the municipality of Faro. This event mobilizes the population and pilgrims, who, after a day of celebration in the countryside, return to the village at dusk in decorated carts and on horseback, illuminated by torches, in a spectacle of faith and popular culture that has the hermitage as the center of devotion.
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt
Coordinates DD: 37.0972928,-7.8940715
Coordinates DMS: 37°05'50.3"N 07°53'38.7"W
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