Shrine of Nossa Senhora da Paz

About the Sanctuary of Nossa Senhora da Paz

From both a symbolic and dimensional point of view, the Shrine of Nossa Senhora da Paz is the grandest monument on the Island of Madeira. Resulting from a promise made by the Madeirans, it was inaugurated on 14 August, the Day of Nossa Senhora do Monte.

Located in Terreiro da Luta, in the parish of Monte, this artwork, which bears the signature of architect Emanuel Ribeiro, is dedicated to Nossa Senhora da Paz. This story of devotion takes us back to 1917; that year, during World War I, the city of Funchal was bombed twice by German submarines.

In the face of these events, a promise was then made: if peace was re-established on the island, the Madeirans would erect a statue in worship of Senhora do Monte. Eventually, ten years after these episodes, the Shrine of Nossa Senhora da Paz was built, with a five-metre-high marble statue.

At the base of the Shrine of Nossa Senhora da Paz, a rather peculiar rosary can be found. This symbolic element was built using the chains of the ships wrecked at the time of the attacks. It is, therefore, an unparalleled monument that warrants a close visit, which you can find in the higher part of the municipality of Funchal.