Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
History & Culture
According to legend, the town got its name from a small statue of the Virgin Mary which
was brought by a monk to a monastery near Merida in the 4 th Century having originated in
Nazareth. In 711, the statue was brought to its current location by Roderic, the last Visigoth
king, and another monk who became hermits upon their arrival. Upon his death, the monk
was buried in the grotto and the statue left on an altar. It was here, in Sitio, that a chapel was
constructed over the grotto in the 12 th Century by Portuguese knight Dom Fuas Rouphino
who claimed the statue had saved his life while hunting deer. Shortly afterwards, King
Fernando I founded a much larger church, the Church of Nossa Senhora da Nazare, and the
fishing village was born. The town has always attracted tourists and advertised itself as an
international destination, using traditions and its beautiful beaches to attract many tourists
every year.
© Flickr / Rui Ornelas
Beach at Nazare
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