A true masterpiece of Baroque architecture in Portugal, the Chapel of Santa Maria Madalena is the epicenter of the Extremo festival. Its construction began in the late 17th century, with the architect André Soares playing a crucial role in its development. He was responsible for some of the most important civil and military monuments of that era in the Minho region.
The transformation that gave the chapel its present-day appearance began in 1753 and lasted a decade, during the archbishopric of José de Bragança. André Soares, a protégé of the archbishop, was tasked with designing the new façade and the grand staircase, creating a theatrical composition characteristic of both the Baroque style and the architect’s work.
Also known as the Sanctuary of Falperra, the chapel was designated a national heritage site in 2017, thanks to a joint effort by the municipalities of Guimarães and Braga. Straddling the border between these two cities, the chapel is officially part of Guimarães for administrative and religious purposes—yet it is unmistakably oriented towards Braga.
41º 31′ 19.31″ N 8º 23′ 15.72″ W
The devotion to Santa Marta has led to the existence of several chapels dedicated to her across the region. The Chapel of Santa Marta do Leão is named after its proximity to the Fonte do Leão, a Baroque fountain still sought after by locals for the purity and freshness of its waters.
Built in 1917, it is the most recent of the religious structures on Monte da Falperra. Although located within Guimarães’ territory, the chapel was a gift from Júlio d’Amorim Lima, a philanthropist from Braga. He also acquired the Baroque altarpiece inside, which originally belonged to the Convent of Remédios in Braga.
The chapel is almost perfectly aligned with Santa Maria Madalena, and their connection is reinforced by a tree-lined promenade leading up to Santa Marta, creating a tranquil leisure area. os dois templos intensifica-se pela alameda desenhada à frente da capela de Santa Marta, densamente arborizada e ladeada por uma zona de lazer.
41º 31′ 7.75″ N 8º 23′ 30.45″ W
Extremo insere-se num território com forte densidade histórica, com origens que remontam à Idade do Bronze. Essa energia fundadora é particularmente sentida no alto de Santa Marta das Cortiças, cuja ocupação remonta ao século V a.C.
Esse povoado passou por um processo de romanização e manteve ocupação no período do domínio Suevo, tendo sido identificada uma estrutura do que terá sido uma Basílica Paleocristã (caso único no Norte de Portugal) e um possível palácio da mesma época.
No topo do monte encontramos hoje a capela de Santa Marta das Cortiças, uma construção que remonta ao século XVI. Construção singela, de planta quadrada e pouco ornamentada, é um dos epicentros das festividades religiosas que aqui acontecem todos os anos no mês de Julho.
Desde este lugar é possível ver a cidade de Guimarães e parte da mancha urbana de Braga, bem como toda a área envolvente dos Sacromontes entre os dois concelhos e as serras envolventes, até à Cabreira e ao Gerês.
41º 30′ 53.12″ N 8º 23′ 39.14″ W