With around 2 million visitors a year, this is the second largest sanctuary in Portugal. It had its beginning in the century. XVII when a chapel was built in this place of Seara, because it is far from the parish church of Rio Caldo. From the middle of the century. XVIII the hermitage becomes the center of great devotion. Keeping promises or asking for graces is what drives nearly two million people every year to S. Bento da Porta Aberta. Located in the heart of Minho, it is a special place of worship for the patron saint of Europe. The main festival that takes place annually between the 10th and 15th of August.

00:00 Introduction
00:27 Aerial view of the surrounding landscape of Gerês , Albufeira da Caniçada and the mountains in the background of this Sanctuary
00:35 Location of Rio Caldo, the parish where this place of Seara is located
01:15 Location of the Basilica Church, built between 188095 replacing the original hermitage, and the Crypt, built between 19942002, which reinforced the capacity for large celebrations. Next to it is a Hotel, designed by Arch. Luis Cunha, author of the construction of the Crypt.
02:20 am Environment of the Sanctuary, the water source, the statue of St. Benedict
03:07 The interior of the Basilica, where we see the Tribuna de S.Bento where devotees usually go up to touch the image of the saint.
03:19 The environment in the churchyard and surroundings, the Hotel's arcade, and the connection to the modern Crypt, of postmodern architecture that attracts us to visit and see all the symbolism contained in this wonderful temple, which houses a series of tile panels painted with scenes from the life of São Bento.
03:57 Entrance to the Crypt, ample outdoor space with access to the nave and semioutdoor ambulatory. This outdoor space transmits us peace and communion between the divine and nature. It stays in contact with the ship, through large opening doors, to increase capacity on days of celebration.
04:39 The entrance of zenithal light, an important architectural element on the outside that reminds us of the traditional element of the bell tower, but which fulfills the function of illuminating the altar located in the nave. We see its development from the inside as well as the complexity of this roof structure.
05:11 The view of the northwestern façade and its play of volumes, a cross between the classical GrecoRoman style and the style of the Buddhist mountain monastery, which we can see here from the air and its interior
05:19 The visual connection between the outdoor ambulatory and the nature of Serra do Gerês. Let us not forget that it was S. Bento who initiated the European movement of monastic life lived in monasteries built in remote places, many of them in paradisiacal places under the motto Ora et Labora.
05:34 The tile panels containing situations from the life of S. Bento, the statues and all the polycormy of this space loaded with symbolic value leaves no one indifferent. In one of the viewpoints we can see the mountain landscape through the gaps, as if it were "an open door".
06:54 The interior nave, all glazed, although protected by the roof, and excessive summer sunstroke. It is a simultaneously simple but extremely attractive environment. Arch. Luis Cunha was a specialist in religious architecture from the 17th century. XX, and although he studied at the Superior School of Fine Arts of Porto, he managed to carry out genuinely creative works, outside the formal ESBAP context.

Map of our channel videos:
https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edi...

Adobe Stock Video Portfolio:
https://stock.adobe.com/pt/contributo...

Portfolio, 360º Virtual Tours about Portugal : https://www.360cities.net/profile/san...
Donations to the Channel PAYPAL: [email protected]
paypal.me/SantiagoRibasPT