Gruta Nossa Sra de Lourdes & PIO IX - Guimarães | Portugal

Hello everybody :)

Have you ever seen a photo in a publication that reminded you of something from when you were children, but for some reason it was stored deep in your memory? One of these days i no longer know where i saw a photo of the Penha Sanctuary and i remembered one of my school trips when i was around eight or nine years old. The photo was of the lake that was right in front of the church and i remembered that we were catching grasshoppers in this place :)
This was the nostalgic feeling that i mentioned in the previous article where i recorded the Sanctuary and the entire surrounding area, including the famous cable car that delights not only younger people but also adults and adventurers who travel there to enjoy what the mountain has to offer.

This tour was designed with the aim of introducing our daughter to the place and discovering Penha Mountain, on an adventure full of natural and historical wonders.
At the top of its 617 meters of altitude, the mountain is full of unique corners punctuated by imposing granite.
There it is possible to explore the pedestrian paths among the dense trees, crossing ancient caves, solemn hermitages and crystal clear springs that have persisted over the centuries.

Digging through some historical information and records, i realize that since the prehistoric period, Penha Mountain has witnessed the arrival of hermits in search of a place conducive to contemplative life and isolation. It was in 1702 that Guilherme Marino, an Italian hermit, chose this mountain as his refuge, carving a small image of the Virgin that would become the center of devotion for the pilgrims who would travel there years later.
The religious presence on the mountain has a huge impact on tourism, transforming caves into temples and attracting devotees from all corners of the world, and this was evident during this visit, taking into account the varied number of languages i heard during the walk. The cult of the Virgin culminated in the construction of monuments and statues in her honor, such as the one dedicated to Pope PIO IX, whose dogmatic definition of the Immaculate Conception marked a turning point in Marian devotion in the region.

The huge marble statue of Pope PIO IX blesses visitors who approach, remembering the historic moment in which popular faith was officially recognized by the Church.
On a lower platform, located in the middle of huge granite stones, we can visit the small cave of Our Lady of Lourdes, carved into the rock next to the monument, inspired by the apparitions of the Virgin in Lourdes, in France.

In addition to the spiritual aspect, the Penha Mountain is also an ecological treasure, housing an impressive variety of flora and fauna spread over more than 60 hectares of green area, considered the green lung of the city of Guimarães and all neighboring locations, where species of plants and animals find refuge.
Among more than 300 species of plants recorded in the region, the highlight is the presence of some threatened species such as the gilthead and daffodils, without forgetting some of the region's botanical treasures such as the alluvial forests of Alnus glutinosa and Fraxinus Excelsior.

Regarding fauna, this natural area is a true paradise for wildlife lovers and the impressive diversity of species that live there, from terrestrial vertebrates to typical forest birds, with emphasis on some threatened species in our country, such as of the hornet buzzard and the gray nightjar.
As the sun set over the rocky peaks of Penha Mountain, i was able to sit on one of the huge rocks at the highest point of the mountain and watch a natural spectacle worth recording, together with other people who were there. with the same purpose.
There we are flooded with a sense of gratitude for the opportunity to witness such beauty and grandeur.
In this way and with the certainty that i will return to this place to watch that incredible sunset, i end this share.

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 ;)