Igreja de Santa Maria

Igreja de Santa Maria is a majestic 16th century church located in Faro, Portugal. The building's beauty lies in its Manueline architectural style, detailed with Manueline carvings of moor heads, scallop shells, double-headed eagles, rope, and crosses. This church is also home to some of Portugal's most important historical monuments, such as a statue of 16th century navigator Vasco da Gama, memorials to Catholic missionaries, and other statues and memorials. The most striking feature of the church is the ornately decorated door at its entrance. Inside, visitors can marvel at the original stone floor, the ornamented ceiling, and the wall paintings that tell historical stories. As the church is both a place of worship and a site for historical monuments, visitors are expected to be respectful of the atmosphere of the church while exploring.