Nossa Senhora de Fátima Chapel
A bit all over the municipality of São Vicente, on the north
coast
of the island of Madeira, there are symbols, monuments and
traditions
that testify to the intense connection of this region
to faith. Thus, it is
not surprising that one of the ex-libris
of the municipality is a very
peculiar religious monument,
called Nossa Senhora de Fátima Chapel.
Situated on the top of a
hill, this small temple, whose façades are
painted in white,
contrasts with its green surroundings. Its unusual
typology
catches the eye: it is a quadrangular, tower-shaped building
with a marked verticality, finished in a spire.
When
arriving to Nossa Senhora de Fátima Chapel, which can be
accessed through a staircase, visitors are confronted with a
striking
landscape. On one side, the majesty of the mountains
covered by a
dense forest mantle, on the other, the immensity of
the Atlantic Ocean.
The scenery is completed with the typical
houses that sprinkle the
slopes - especially the parish of São
Vicente, which can be seen in its
entirety here.
This
monument, considered an important part of the religious and
cultural heritage of this region, was recently subject to a
requalification process, where mainly elements linked to religious
cult
and its iconic bell mechanism were restored.