Detour to Bom Jesus do Monte

The view of Braga from up top Bom Jesus so Monte

Today was a within-vacation travel day:  Nazaré to Porto.  Perfect time for a detour to Bom Jesus do Monte, 

Bom Jesus do Monte, as the "Monte" part of the name would suggest, is a beautiful church way up at the top of a mountain.  You have two ways to get there.

You could walk the steps.  The really really devout do it on their knees.

Or, you can take the funicular:

One guess as to which I chose:

If you guessed "funicular," you may proceed with the visit to Bom Jesus do Monte.  Starting at the bottom of the hill:

And a short ricketty funicular ride later, we were at the top of the mountain:

And here we are:

This is Joseph of Arimathea:

More statuary of figures associated with the crucifixion:

And here, at long last, is the church:

Let's go in, shall we:

Ceiling:

 Altar view:

A whole lotta saints, arranged "wedding cake" style:

P.S.:  "Wedding cake" style is not an official term of church architecture, but is something I invented about 30 seconds ago.

This is Our Lady of Fatima:

Altar view, back a few steps:

And, now, it's time to hit the exit:

To the light!  To the light!

Back outside.  L to R:  Caiaphas, Herod, Pontius Pilate and (I'm really not sure who the fourth one is):

Closer view of Pontius Pilate:

Another view of the City of Braga, in the distance below:

I'm not sure why my camera shot this last shot of the funicular in "dreamscape" mode, but it did.

So we will end on this and return the rental car to Porto airport,  Next up:  two days and three nights in Porto!