Fourteen side altars, each representing a mystery of the Rosary, make the Basílica de Nossa Senhora do Rosário de Fátima a notable reference point in the history of the sanctuary. But Fátima can also be explored through its museums, chapels and traces of rural life. If you are planning a stay, you can shape your discoveries around your particular interest in the history of faith, historical collections or regional culture.
The Sanctuary and the History of the Rosary
The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fátima commemorates the apparitions of Our Lady to the three shepherd children, Lúcia, Francisco and Jacinta, in 1917. The apparitions were recognized in 1930. The name of one of the basilicas also has its own history: the Basílica de Nossa Senhora do Rosário de Fátima was granted the title of basilica by Pope Pius XII in the brief Luce Superna on November 11, 1954. Its 14 side altars each represent a mystery of the Rosary. The Basílica da Santíssima Trindade has 8,633 seats—a different, explicitly spatial point of reference within the sanctuary complex.
Museums: Collections and Ways of Telling Stories
Founded in 1955, the Museu do Santuário de Fátima is dedicated to researching and presenting the history and memory of the apparitions at Fátima and the Sanctuary of Cova da Iria. Its permanent exhibition consists mainly of ex-voto offerings and also includes the Precious Crown of Our Lady of Fátima. The focus is therefore on offerings and a specific object of Marian devotion. The Casa das Candeias offers a different perspective: this museum space presents the lives of Francisco and Jacinta Marto.
The Casa Museu de Aljustrel opened in 1992 and serves as a museum within the sanctuary. The Museu de Cera, meanwhile, presents important events from the history of Fátima using nearly life-size figures. Those interested in historical subjects can compare different ways of presenting them here: an exhibition consisting mainly of ex-voto offerings, a museum perspective on the lives of two shepherd children, and depictions of historical events using figures.
Chapels, Local History and Rural Traces
Two dates place other religious buildings in their historical context: the Igreja Paroquial de Fátima dates from 1568; the first chapel of the Nossa Senhora da Ortiga sanctuary dates from 1758. The Capela do Casal Farto is a restored private chapel in the Gothic style, dedicated to Our Lady of the Rosary. It is believed to have been built in the 14th or 15th century. Historical details in Casal Farto also include a sundial: it is inscribed on the cornice of a house opposite the chapel and dated 1682.
The Moinhos de Fátima are old windmills where wheat, corn, barley and rye were ground. They offer a glimpse of the rural side of local history. The Museu do Azeite is housed in the first olive oil mill building of the Cooperativa de Fátima and displays historical olive oil production equipment. It organizes olive oil tastings and promotes local products such as honey, cheese and wine. In Fátima, religious heritage, technological history and culinary themes come together without being reduced to a single focus.
A Via-sacra with Named Stations
The Via-sacra along the Caminho dos Pastorinhos begins at the Rotunda de Santa Teresa de Ourém and ends at the Calvário Húngaro. Its clearly named starting and ending points provide the route with its own sense of direction. It adds a specific walking route to the historical and museum themes, which you can consider as a distinct focus when planning your trip.
Discover more destinations: Casa Velha, Ourém, Alburitel.
Go to the parent travel guide: Ourém.
