Two new UNESCO’s World Heritage sites in Portugal: Royal Building of Mafra and Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Monte in Braga

UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee has inscribed two new cultural sites in Portugal:

The Royal Building of Mafra: Palace, Basilica, Convent, Cerco Garden and Hunting Park (tapada) and the Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Monte in Braga.  As of today Portugal has 17 tangible cultural heritage sites.

- Royal Building of Mafra – Palace, Basilica, Convent, Cerco Garden and Hunting Park (tapada)

Located 30 km northwest of Lisbon, the site was conceived by King João V in 1711 as a tangible representation of his conception of the monarchy and the State. This imposing quadrangular building houses the king’s and queen's palaces, the royal chapel, shaped like a Roman baroque basilica, a Franciscan monastery and a library containing 36,000 volumes. The complex is completed by the Cerco garden, with its geometric layout, and the royal hunting park (Tapada). The Royal Mafra Building is one of the most remarkable works undertaken by King João V, which illustrates the power and reach of the Portuguese Empire. João V adopted Roman and Italian baroque architectural and artistic models and commissioned works of art that make Mafra an exceptional example of Italian Baroque.

-Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Monte, in Braga

The site, a cultural landscape located on the slopes of Mount Espinho, overlooking the city of Braga in the north of Portugal, evokes Christian Jerusalem, recreating a sacred mount crowned with a church. The sanctuary was developed over a period of more than 600 years, primarily in a Baroque style, and illustrates a European tradition of creating Sacri Monti (sacred mountains), promoted by the Catholic Church at the Council of Trent in the 16th century, in reaction to the Protestant Reformation. The Bom Jesus ensemble is centred on a Via Crucis that leads up the western slope of the mount. It includes a series of chapels that house sculptures evoking the Passion of Christ, as well as fountains, allegorical sculptures and formal gardens. The Via Crucis culminates at the church, which was built between 1784 and 1811. The granite buildings have whitewashed plaster façades, framed by exposed stonework. The celebrated Stairway of the Five Senses, with its walls, steps, fountains, statues and other ornamental elements, is the most emblematic Baroque work within the property.

Find more information about it at:
- http://whc.unesco.org/en/news/
- https://en.unesco.org/news/six-cultural-sites-added-unescos-world-heritage-list

Source: UNESCO

GNFY Portugal 2018: 9 September 2018

In September, take part in GFNY Portugal and get the adrenaline flowing as you compete in a real professional cycling road race. As a bonus, you’ll have the opportunity to enjoy a variety of mountain and sea landscapes on a route that takes you through Cascais, Mafra and Sintra.

The town of Cascais was chosen to host this event of the Granfondo New York international cycling series and the two routes - Granfondo of 162 km and Mediofondo, 82 km, will start and end there. The race starts at the Cascais Marina, heads along the Estrada Marginal, passes the Estoril race track before going through Mafra, Ericeira, Azenhas do Mar, Sintra Mountain Range, Malveira da Serra, Cabo da Roca, Guincho Beach and finishing in the centre of Cascais. It is an ambitious route that crosses areas of great natural beauty and historical richness covering almost 2,300 meters of total altitude.

This test is seen as a huge challenge of strength and personal resilience, where direct competition with other athletes is a defining feature. This is the GFNY spirit, since the event is open to both amateurs and professionals as it recreates a real professional road cycling competition, urged on by the slogan "Be a Pro For a Day". 

Cascais is therefore hosting one of the 16 GFNY events scheduled for 2018. The concept was born in New York in 2011, and has quickly expanded to a number of international regions and cities. It is currently the competition that attracts the largest number of cyclists of different nationalities. The New York event has already assembled athletes from 93 countries and the inaugural event in Portugal is also expecting participants from the four corners of the world.

Find more information at:
- http://gfnyportugal.com/
- https://www.facebook.com/gfnyportugal

Escolha Portugal - Região de Lisboa / Choose Portugal - Lisbon Region

Cristina Ferreira travelled around the Lisbon region and visited the city of Lisbon, the Tagus Estuary and the Tapada of Mafra.


Lisbon is the capital, one of Europe's most fashionable cities, but is also the name of a region that has a great deal to offer.

We invite you to discover a country of magical surprises and unexpected feelings. Visit us and be mesmerized by Portugal, Europe's best kept secret.

Choose Portugal is a TVI initiative with the support of Turismo de Portugal.

More information at:
- http://www.visitportugal.com/en/destinos/lisboa-regiao
- http://www.visitlisboa.com/

TREC – World Championship 2012: 7th to 9th September in Mafra

©Seniors World Championship of TREC

In September 2012, Portugal will host for the first time a Seniors World Championship of TREC (Tecniques de Randonnée Équestre), a specific category that is supervised by FITE - Fédération Internationale de Tourisme Équestre (Equestrian Tourism International Federation).

The Championship will be held in Mafra, 50km North of Lisbon (about 45 minutes by car), at the old military equestrian school of the Military Centre of Physical Education and Sports and there are expected 150 riders from all over the world. The region, beautiful, is close to the sea and the competitors will have excellent accommodations and sportive conditions, for horses and riders.

Provisional Timetable:
Wednesday, 5Th September 2012
Until 8:00 pm – Arrival participants, stabling of horses.
10:00 – 8:00 pm – Opening hours of show and information office.
8:00 pm – Dinner.

Thursday, 6Th September 2012
Until 8:00 pm – Arrival participants, stabling of horses.
10:00 am – 8:00 pm – Opening hours of show and information office.
12:00 pm – Lunch
8:00 pm – Dinner.

Friday, 7Th September 2012
7:00 am – 10:00 am – Breakfast
8:00 am – Veterinary control/ Equipment control
12:00 pm – Lunch
01.30 pm – Meeting of judges and Chef D´Equipes
2:30 pm - PTV course inspection for judges and Chef D´Equipes
3:30 pm – Official PTV course inspection.
4:30 pm – Meeting of the teams for the opening ceremony.
5.00 pm – Opening ceremony
7:30 pm – Dinner and get together

Saturday, 8Th September 2012
5:00 am – Breakfast and distribution of lunch packages for riders, judges and accompanying persons.
06.30 am – First rider at the map room
06:50 am – Start of the first competitor
2: 00 pm - Estimated arrival of first riders and horse inspection
8:00 pm – Dinner and Championship party

Sunday, 9Th September 2012
6:00 am – Breakfast
6:30 am – Horse inspection (according to POR starting order)
8:00 am – Control of Paces (MA), according to POR starting order.
8:30 am - PTV Course (according to POR starting order)
12:00 pm – Lunch
5 :00 pm – Prize giving and closing ceremony
8:00 pm – Dinner and evening party

Monday,10Th September 2012
9:00 am – Bureau meeting
10:30 am – FITE General Assembly

Note: A modification of the program is subject to changes

Information will be constantly updated, any further information please contact directly the OC through one of the contacts below:
Show Director:
Cor. António Camacho
E-mail: antoniocamacho.s@sapo.pt
TEL: +351 919 941 623
E:mail: mundialtrec2012@sapo.pt; info@mundialtrec2012.pt  

More information at:
- http://www.mundialtrec2012.pt
- http://en.fite-net.org/

Source: AMT - Associação Mundial de Trec 2012

Organs of the Basilica of Mafra win award

The restoration of the organs at the basilica of Mafra Convent has been distinguished with the European Union Prize for Cultural Heritage, as part of the Europa Nostra competition.

In addition to the restoration project of the six organs at the basilica of the convent of Mafra - guided by the master organ maker Dinarte Machado - winners of the conservation awards also include the Portuguese Synagogue complex in Amsterdam.

The Europa Nostra represents 250 non-governmental, non-profit organizations from more than 50 European countries, and has the support of 150 associate members - representing public and private organizations - and 1,500 individual members. Prizes are awarded in four areas distinguished by the non-governmental organization Europa Nostra, with a total of six winners.

The Cultural Heritage awards will be presented on June 1 at a ceremony held at Jeronimos Monastery in Lisboa, during the Europa Nostra European Heritage Annual Congress.

For more information on the European Heritage Congress 2012 Programme, Lisbon 30 May - 2 June click here.

Useful Links:
-Palácio Nacional e Convento de Mafra-Mafra National Palace
-Discovering Mafra
-Mafra
-Europa Nostra