Igreja Santana Albufeira
The Igreja Santana (Santa Ana) is a pretty, 18th century church located in the old town of Albufeira on the hill leading up from road overlooking the cliffs. The church is dedicated to St. Anne, Jesus' maternal grandmother. The former chapel to St. Anne, down on the beach, was destroyed in the 1755 earthquake and tsunami, so it was decided to rebuild the church on the higher ground where it now stands.
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| The bright exterior of the church |
Interior
It is well worth having a look inside the cool, spacious interior to admire the fine, gilded, wooden altar painted in blue, possibly the work of master sculptors Francisco Xavier Guedelha and João Baptista.
The church has a single nave and three chapels. The baroque high altar (pictured below) has a central statue of St. Anne flanked by St. Joseph and the child Jesus (on the right) and by her husband St. Joachim (on the left).
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| The altar |
There are other carved statues within the church including a fine one of Christ crucified.
The gilded wooden pulpit is also Baroque in style.
The major festival associated with the church, Festa Nossa Senhora da Orada occurs on 14th August when an image of the Virgin Mary and the child Jesus is paraded around town and transported on a boat.
Access - Getting There
Igreja Santana
Travessa 10 de Dezembro
Albufeira 8200-210
The church is very close to the Vila Recife Hotel and another church, the Igreja Matriz (Parish Church Nossa Senhora da Conceição).
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| A small, wooden chapel within the church |
Other Churches in Portugal
Igreja da Misericórdia de Chaves
© Portugal Visitor
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