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Bom Jesus Sanctuary is one of the many wonders that Braga has to show to its visitors, and is deeply cherished by the people of Braga. In this article, we share five curiosities of one of the most beautiful sanctuaries in northern Portugal.

The first records of activity in Bom Jesus date from 1373, with the construction of a Hermitage. However, Bom Jesus do Monte, as we know it nowadays, appears in 1722 when the Sanctuary project was initiated, by order of D. Rodrigo de Moura Teles. The construction of the basilica began in 1784 and was completed in 1811.

The famous Elevador of Bom Jesus was the first funicular built on the Iberian Peninsula. It was inaugurated in 1882, and built on the project of the Swiss man, Nikolaus Riggenbach. The elevator connects the upper part of the city of Braga to the Sanctuary, overcoming an unevenness of more than one hundred meters in height. This elevator is, even today, the oldest in service in the world to use the water counterweight system.

The expression “ver Braga por um canudo” (to see Braga through a straw) is one of the best known and used by the people of Braga, and it was in the Sanctuary that this popular saying had its origin, since it refers to the binoculars that were in one of the viewpoints of Bom Jesus and that served to see more closely the city of the Archbishops. However, this binocular was removed, and now there is a replica in its place.

The Bom Jesus Staircase has 573 steps, distributed by 3 staircases: Escadório do Pórtico (Staircase’s Porch), Escadório das Três Virtudes (Three Virtues Staircase) and Escadório dos Cinco Sentidos (Five Senses Staircase). Like the Elevator, the staircases make the connection between the upper part of the city and the Sanctuary, overcoming an unevenness of 116 meters high, and follow a parallel path to the Elevator of Bom Jesus.

The statue of S. Longuinho is the only equestrian statue made in stone in Portugal, and is located in the same place where the tower of the old church of Bom Jesus do Monte used to be. S. Longuinho was one of the Roman soldiers who was present at the crucifixion of Christ, and who would later convert to the teachings of Jesus.