LUGAR DA LAPA, SERNANCELHE, 2006
The intervention project at Lugar da Lapa, including the surroundings of the sanctuary and the pilgrims’ routes, consisted of a comprehensive set of actions aimed at enhancing natural, cultural, and religious heritage, strengthening local identity, and improving circulation and stay conditions for residents, pilgrims, and visitors. The intervention took place across an extensive area of the Serra da Lapa, characterised by rugged topography, granite outcrops, permanent watercourses, and a landscape marked by native vegetation and architectural elements of significant historical value. The preservation of this fragile balance was a guiding principle for all design decisions.
The works included the reorganisation and expansion of parking areas, including the creation of a structured forecourt near the Miradouro de Nossa Senhora da Piedade and the renaturalisation of surrounding areas through the introduction of earth mounds and native vegetation. Avenida Padre Francisco Pinto Ferreira was fully upgraded, with pavement replacement, redefinition of the cross-section, and the integration of stone benches that function simultaneously as seating elements and parking control devices. In this area, a new pilgrim support building was also constructed, partially embedded into the terrain and covered with vegetation, ensuring its discreet integration into the landscape.
Pedestrian routes were created and improved, namely the trail along the waterline between the support building and Fonte dos Clérigos, where invasive vegetation was removed, the riverbed stabilised with irregular stones, and stepping stones installed to allow safe crossing. The Fonte dos Clérigos area was significantly reorganised, with removal of excessive paving, renaturalisation of riverbanks, planting of birch and alder trees, creation of granite slab platforms, and redefinition of access routes, restoring a more natural character consistent with its function as a place for visitation and rest.
The project also included the rehabilitation of public sanitary facilities for pilgrims, with a complete internal reorganisation, and the consolidation and reconstruction of the communal oven, including structural stabilisation, new granite masonry walls, and the creation of an external platform that also functions as a viewpoint. At Largo da Feira and Miradouro do Marco, cleaning, consolidation, and landscape enhancement works were carried out, preserving symbolic elements such as the stone cross and granite sculpture.
An area for street vending was also created, organised into parking bays and display counters, protected by dense oak plantations that provide shade, shelter, and access control. Finally, the path to the springs of the Vouga River was upgraded along its 651 metres, with irregular cobblestone paving, restoration of communal water tanks, and harmonious integration of the route into the natural landscape.
In all areas, priority was given to traditional materials, landscape integration, preservation of existing natural elements, and improvement of the visitor experience. The project sought to balance tourism enhancement with heritage and landscape protection, ensuring that increased visitation would not compromise the authenticity and environmental sensitivity of Lugar da Lapa.
Architecture: Maria João Patronilho
Iva Viana de Lemos
Landscape Architecture: Atelier do Beco da Bela Vista | Luís Guedes de Carvalho
Engineering: GOP
Photography: Atelier66 | Maria João Patronilho (2006)
Drawings for Publication: Atelier66 | Mariana Morais