Penha Sanctuary & Viewpoint - Guimarães | Portugal

Hello everybody :)

Today for a change, but without deviating too much from the theme i have covered in previous articles, very focused on rocky objects, i share some records and details about one of the last getaways i took, this time to the city of Guimarães, but without setting foot in the center city dweller, having chosen the environment that satisfies me the most :)

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_{Main square of the enclosure with cross-shaped fountains}

_{Front view of the Sanctuary of Penha}

_{Facade of the main entrance to the Sanctuary}

It was in this peaceful corner, just five kilometers from the hustle and bustle of the city center, that i found a true natural jewel, right at the top of the majestic Penha mountain, 617 meters above sea level and surrounded by 60 hectares of lush green area that it extends through the valleys towards the horizon, in a tune that fills us with tranquility.

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_{Chapel of Senhora da Penha next to the Viewpoint}

Compared to many other mountains, we might consider this one a little small, but it is actually the right height to enjoy an incredible view.
At the top of the mountain, as would be expected in these parts, a religious landmark was built, the Penha Sanctuary, a place of devotion and faith.
This Eucharistic and Marian monument, completed at the end of 1945 and inaugurated on September 14, 1947, was built under the direction of the illustrious architect Marques da Silva, whose genius echoes through the ages.

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_{Interior of the Sanctuary - Place of prayer and ceremonies}

The inauguration was held at a memorable event presided over by His Eminence, the Cardinal Patriarch of Lisbon, D. Manuel Gonçalves Cerejeira.
In the surrounding area there is an adjacent viewpoint from which a truly stunning panorama can be seen. From there, beyond the historic center of Guimarães, there is a privileged view that, on clear days, even reaches the coast, around 50 kilometers away.

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_{Penha Viewpoint}

Looking nearby, we can see a dense and very well-preserved blanket of trees that invites you to take a journey through its wild beauty. Granite is abundant in this region, as you can see from the photographic records i share here.
It won't be very noticeable in this article, as here i'm more focused on the sanctuary itself and the closest surrounding area, but in a future article i'll be happy to share the more distant area, and i'll tell you right now, it's absolutely fascinating, if i weren't a fan of rocks :P and these are huge :)

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Once there, it was when i saw the Cable Car that the light came on and i was suddenly struck by a memory that filled me with nostalgia, yes, i had already visited this place many, many years ago.
Ok, i'm not that old, but i remember that the last time i visited this place when i was a little child and it was during a study visit organized by the school that we went to this same place and it was during that same visit that i was planned a ride on the cable car, the memorable cable car that takes us down the mountain very close to the Castle of Guimarães in the historic center and in a rotation brings us back up to the viewpoint.

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Of course, i had to take a walk to remember and it was equally satisfying :)
Of course, when we are children we experience these moments more intensely, but believe me, it wasn't because i have a few more years that i stopped feeling the intensity :)

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_{Guimarães Cable Car - Alta Station}

In the blink of an eye, the landscape transforms as we overcome an impressive 400 meter drop in level, on a journey of almost 2 kilometers that seems to defy the laws of gravity.
The enclosed cabins house up to six intrepid adventurers and for lovers of two wheels, eight of these cabins have been generously adapted to transport bicycles, opening the way for even more possibilities for adventure and fun.

To finish and even before leaving, i hurried to go to the car where i had stored the Drone, which luckily i remembered to take that day, and taking advantage of the last rays of sun, i launched it into the air and took the following images :)

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That´s all for today, Hope you like it :)

Photo by @aleister
Camera - Samsung SM-A528B
Camera - Canon EOS 600D | Lens - EFS 18-55mm
DRONE: DJI MINI 2 | Sensor 1/2.3” CMOS | Effective Pixels: 12 MP
Lens: FOV: 83° / 35 mm format equivalent: 24 mm
Aperture: f/2.8 | Focus range: 1 m to ∞
Location - Portugal

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Always remember:

Value your time, because every fraction counts, and the price of anything is the amount of life you trade for it.
May the memories of the travels be eternalized in the photographs, and may the photographs transport us back to the travels ;)