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Sanctuary · Loulé, Faro
Sanctuary of Our Lady of Piety
Sanctuary on top of Monte da Piedade, about 2 km from Loulé’s centre, with a 16th-century hermitage and a modern church. It is the centre of devotion to the Mãe Soberana, the city’s patron, and has views over Loulé and the coast.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
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About Sanctuary of Our Lady of Piety
The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Piety stands on top of a hill at the western entrance to Loulé, about 2 km from the centre. The older hermitage was built in 1553, according to visitation records of the Order of Santiago, and houses the image of Our Lady of Piety, whom the people of Loulé call Mãe Soberana.
Beside the hermitage a large modern church was built in the 20th century to receive pilgrims. The complex is the largest Marian sanctuary in the Algarve, and from the churchyard you can see the town, the plain down to the sea and, on clear days, the coast.
The sanctuary is at the heart of one of the largest religious events in southern Portugal, the Mãe Soberana festival, when the image is carried in procession between the hill and the town at Easter. The devotion to Our Lady of Piety of Loulé is inscribed in the National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage. Outside those days the place is quiet and welcomes visitors from Tuesday to Sunday.
Before you go
Practical information
Cidade Turismo reviews its information regularly, but something may have changed. Check with the place before planning your trip.
How much time to set aside
About 45 minutes, including the hermitage, the church and the view from the churchyard.
Best time
Late afternoon, for the light over the town and the coast. The sanctuary is closed on Mondays.
How to get there
On Monte da Piedade, at the western exit of Loulé, about 2 km from the centre. Go by car or taxi, or walk up from the town.
Tip
Go up at the end of the day and then return to the centre for dinner. If you are in Loulé at Easter, check the programme for the Mãe Soberana festival, when the image is carried down and up the hill in procession.
Get your questions answered
Frequently asked questions about Sanctuary of Our Lady of Piety
Who is Loulé’s Mãe Soberana?
It is the name the people of Loulé give to Our Lady of Piety, the city’s patron, whose image is kept at the sanctuary on Monte da Piedade.
Where is the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Piety located?
At the top of Monte da Piedade, on the west entrance to Loulé, about 2 km from the center.
When does the Chapel of Our Lady of Piety date from?
The chapel was built in 1553; the large church next to it is from the 20th century.