The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Sameiro stands on Monte Sameiro, over 350 meters above Braga, about 4 kilometers from the city center. The article credits Fr Martinho Silva, a priest in the Braga archdiocese, with its existence. It grew from a local Marian devotion in the mid-nineteenth century, after Pope Pius IX proclaimed the Immaculate Conception as dogma in 1854. Construction of the domed neoclassical church began on July 14, 1863.
Monuments to the Sacred Heart and the Immaculate Conception stand at the top of a grand flight of steps. Inside are a silver tabernacle and a crypt with tile panels by Querubim Lapa. Visitors can see views from the top of the basilica's dome.
It is among the most visited Marian sites in Portugal. Pope John Paul II visited on May 15, 1982.
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