Nazaré, Portugal
Encyclopedia
Nazaré is a town in Nazaré Municipality
in Portugal with a total area of 82,4 km² and a total population of 14,904 inhabitants. It is in subregion Oeste
and Leiria
district.
It has become a popular tourist attraction, advertising itself as a picturesque seaside village. Located on the Atlantic coast, it has long sandy beaches (considered by some to be among the best beaches of Portugal), crowded with tourists in the summer. The town used to be known for its traditional costumes worn by the fishermen and their wives who worn the traditional headscarf and embroidered aprons over seven flannel skirts in different colours. These dresses can still occasionally be seen.
The town consists of three sections: Praia (along the beach), Sítio (an old town, on top of a cliff) and Pederneira (an old town, on a hilltop). The Praia and the Sítio areas are linked by the Nazaré Funicular, a funicular railway
.
The original settlements were in Pederneira and in Sítio above the beach. They provided the inhabitants with safe bases against raids by Algerian, French, English and Dutch pirates that lasted until as late as the beginning of the 19th century.
According to the legend of Nazaré, the town derives its name from a small statue of the Virgin Mary, a Black Madonna
, brought by a monk in the 4th century from Nazareth
, Syria Palaestina
to a monastery near the city of Mérida, Spain
and brought to its current place in 711
by another monk accompanied by Roderic
, the last Visigoth
king. After their arrival at the seaside they decided to become hermits. The monk lived and died in a small natural grotto
, on top of a cliff above the sea. After his death and according to the monk's wishes, the king buried him in the grotto where he left, on an altar, the statue of the Black Madonna.
The first church in O Sítio, was built over the grotto to commemorate a miraculous intervention (1182) by the Virgin Mary in saving the life of the 12th century Portuguese knight Dom Fuas Roupinho, possibly a templar, while he was hunting deer
one fog
gy early morning. This episode is usually referred to as the legend of Nazaré. In memory of the miracle
he had a chapel (Capela da Memória) built over the small grotto, where the miraculous statue had been left by king Roderic
after the monk's death. Beside the chapel, on a protuberant rock 110 meters above the Atlantic, one can still see the mark made in the rock by one of the hooves of Dom Fuas' horse. This episode is usually called The Legend of Nazaré.
In 1377, King Fernando I of Portugal founded a new more spacious church which was totally transformed between the 16th and 19th centuries. The Church of Nossa Senhora da Nazaré
is a rich baroque building, with splendid tiles on its interior. Behind and above the main altar visitors can see and venerate the miraculous image of our Lady of Nazaré.
Hawaiian surfer Garrett McNamara surfed a potentially record breaking giant wave estimated to be 90 feet or 27m high at the 2011 ZON North Canyon Show at Nazaré.
with: Badajoz
, Extremadura
, Spain
Nogent-sur-Marne
, Val-de-Marne
, France
Nazaré Municipality
Nazaré Municipality is located in Leiria District in Portugal. It contains the town of Nazaré.The municipality is composed of 3 parishes, and is located in the District of Leiria.It is one of the most popular seaside resorts in the Silver Coast/Costa de Prata,Portugal.The present Mayor is Jorge...
in Portugal with a total area of 82,4 km² and a total population of 14,904 inhabitants. It is in subregion Oeste
Oeste
Oeste, is a NUTS 3 sub-region of the NUTS 2 Centro Region of Portugal. The sub-region is coterminous with the Comunidade Intermunicipal do Oeste of the same name...
and Leiria
Leiria
Leiria is a city in Leiria Municipality in the Centro Region, Portugal. It is the capital of Leiria District. The city proper has 50,200 inhabitants and the entire municipality has nearly 120,000...
district.
The town consists of three sections: Praia (along the beach), Sítio (an old town, on top of a cliff) and Pederneira (an old town, on a hilltop). The Praia and the Sítio areas are linked by the Nazaré Funicular, a funicular railway
Funicular
A funicular, also known as an inclined plane or cliff railway, is a cable railway in which a cable attached to a pair of tram-like vehicles on rails moves them up and down a steep slope; the ascending and descending vehicles counterbalance each other.-Operation:The basic principle of funicular...
.
The original settlements were in Pederneira and in Sítio above the beach. They provided the inhabitants with safe bases against raids by Algerian, French, English and Dutch pirates that lasted until as late as the beginning of the 19th century.
According to the legend of Nazaré, the town derives its name from a small statue of the Virgin Mary, a Black Madonna
Black Madonna
A Black Madonna or Black Virgin is a statue or painting of the Virgin Mary in which the Virgin Mary is black. The term was especially applied to those created in Europe in the medieval period or earlier...
, brought by a monk in the 4th century from Nazareth
Nazareth
Nazareth is the largest city in the North District of Israel. Known as "the Arab capital of Israel," the population is made up predominantly of Palestinian Arab citizens of Israel...
, Syria Palaestina
Syria Palaestina
Syria Palæstina was a Roman province between 135CE and 390CE. It had been established by the merge of Roman Syria and Roman Judaea, following the defeat of the Bar Kokhba Revolt in 135 CE. In 193 Syria-Coele was split to form a separate provincial locality...
to a monastery near the city of Mérida, Spain
Mérida, Spain
Mérida is the capital of the autonomous community of Extremadura, western central Spain. It has a population of 57,127 . The Archaeological Ensemble of Mérida is a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1993.- Climate :...
and brought to its current place in 711
711
Year 711 was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 711 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Europe :* April 30 – Ummayad troops led by...
by another monk accompanied by Roderic
Roderic
Ruderic was the Visigothic King of Hispania for a brief period between 710 and 712. He is famous in legend as "the last king of the Goths"...
, the last Visigoth
Visigoth
The Visigoths were one of two main branches of the Goths, the Ostrogoths being the other. These tribes were among the Germans who spread through the late Roman Empire during the Migration Period...
king. After their arrival at the seaside they decided to become hermits. The monk lived and died in a small natural grotto
Grotto
A grotto is any type of natural or artificial cave that is associated with modern, historic or prehistoric use by humans. When it is not an artificial garden feature, a grotto is often a small cave near water and often flooded or liable to flood at high tide...
, on top of a cliff above the sea. After his death and according to the monk's wishes, the king buried him in the grotto where he left, on an altar, the statue of the Black Madonna.
The first church in O Sítio, was built over the grotto to commemorate a miraculous intervention (1182) by the Virgin Mary in saving the life of the 12th century Portuguese knight Dom Fuas Roupinho, possibly a templar, while he was hunting deer
Deer
Deer are the ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. Species in the Cervidae family include white-tailed deer, elk, moose, red deer, reindeer, fallow deer, roe deer and chital. Male deer of all species and female reindeer grow and shed new antlers each year...
one fog
Fog
Fog is a collection of water droplets or ice crystals suspended in the air at or near the Earth's surface. While fog is a type of stratus cloud, the term "fog" is typically distinguished from the more generic term "cloud" in that fog is low-lying, and the moisture in the fog is often generated...
gy early morning. This episode is usually referred to as the legend of Nazaré. In memory of the miracle
Miracle
A miracle often denotes an event attributed to divine intervention. Alternatively, it may be an event attributed to a miracle worker, saint, or religious leader. A miracle is sometimes thought of as a perceptible interruption of the laws of nature. Others suggest that a god may work with the laws...
he had a chapel (Capela da Memória) built over the small grotto, where the miraculous statue had been left by king Roderic
Roderic
Ruderic was the Visigothic King of Hispania for a brief period between 710 and 712. He is famous in legend as "the last king of the Goths"...
after the monk's death. Beside the chapel, on a protuberant rock 110 meters above the Atlantic, one can still see the mark made in the rock by one of the hooves of Dom Fuas' horse. This episode is usually called The Legend of Nazaré.
In 1377, King Fernando I of Portugal founded a new more spacious church which was totally transformed between the 16th and 19th centuries. The Church of Nossa Senhora da Nazaré
Church of Nossa Senhora da Nazaré
The Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Nazaré is an imposing church located on the hilltop O Sitio overlooking Nazaré, Portugal.According to the Legend of Nazaré the sheriff of Porto de Mós, Dom Fuas Roupinho, maybe a templar, was chasing on horseback a deer up a hilltop on a misty September morning in 1182...
is a rich baroque building, with splendid tiles on its interior. Behind and above the main altar visitors can see and venerate the miraculous image of our Lady of Nazaré.
Hawaiian surfer Garrett McNamara surfed a potentially record breaking giant wave estimated to be 90 feet or 27m high at the 2011 ZON North Canyon Show at Nazaré.
Panorama
Twin towns — Sister cities
Nazaré is twinnedTown twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...
with: Badajoz
Badajoz
Badajoz is the capital of the Province of Badajoz in the autonomous community of Extremadura, Spain, situated close to the Portuguese border, on the left bank of the river Guadiana, and the Madrid–Lisbon railway. The population in 2007 was 145,257....
, Extremadura
Extremadura
Extremadura is an autonomous community of western Spain whose capital city is Mérida. Its component provinces are Cáceres and Badajoz. It is bordered by Portugal to the west...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
Nogent-sur-Marne
Nogent-sur-Marne
Nogent-sur-Marne is a commune in the eastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris. Nogent-sur-Marne is a sous-préfecture of the Val-de-Marne département, being the seat of the Arrondissement of Nogent-sur-Marne.-History:...
, Val-de-Marne
Val-de-Marne
Val-de-Marne is a French department, named after the Marne River, located in the Île-de-France region. The department is situated to the southeast of the city of Paris.- Geography :...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...