Vila do Conde's chapel on the beach
This simple whitewash and red tile chapel has a dramatic location surrounded on three sides by the waters of the Atlantic Ocean and the Ave River estuary. Its interior decoration takes its direction from its marine location, and is well known locally for its tiled flooring, impressive ceiling art, and seventeenth-century pulpit. This is despite the fact the chapel's origins lie in much earlier centuries. In fact, the chapel is thought to be possibly the oldest building in the city, dating back to at least 953 AD.
To one side you'll find an external staircase that climbs to the height of the chapel and is topped with the Cruzeiro da Independência, or Cross of Independence. This was unveiled in 1940 to commemorate 800 years of Portugal as an independent state. Its base provides unrivalled views over the city and across the surrounding landscapes.
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