Portico
The half-league, the source of the «Bracara Augusta», in Espinho mountais hills, in some parts covered by rocks and an inclinad plan with a huge elevation about the city, we’ve achieved the Bom jesus place, with all of their architectural magnitude.
We start the visite in the sacred mountain base and in a long path, in right line, with 120 meters of lenght, under 13 of width, that give acess to the portico, surrounded by a serie of obelisks.
We’ve arrived to the portico by two hauls of stone ladder in circle cone, from 11 and 6 stairs, between two tanques without inscriptions or figures, and in the middle-orange front on portico elegant and obelisk.
In the base of the slope, the ascend path beggins in the portico eighteenth with dark granite, tardo-barroque stucture, based on a platform, acessed by a group of stairs, surrounded by two dive fountains, in perfect back opening and with a semicircular tanque. About the portico, the Carlos Luís Ferreira da Cruz Amarante map, of 1789, only refere, in the legend, that is holder of two corners and a beauty side wall and is preceeded for an circular square that will have four foutains, what never came to happen.
We have acess to the new «Nova Jerusalém», and to the «via-crucis», through the portico, built with an downed bow, entrance door in the stairways and in de sacred rout. Is formed for two slender granite pillars on rustic style, with 7 meters of high and 4 of width, that sustain a whole back arch, rekilling with pyramids, protruding vessels, and spherical ornatos. In the center and with the clasp arch stands out the coat of arms with 7 castles of the Archbishop of Braga D. Rodrigo de Moura Teles, the biggest grandiosity booster of Bom Jesus, responsable for the construction, in 1723, the first huge haul of stairs and chapels. Inside an armillary and in the shoot the archbishops cross.
Outside the pillars two inscriptions. On the north side: «Jerusalem sancta restored and rebuilt in the year of 1723», under the sun fountain. On the south side: «By the illustrious sir D. Rodrigo de Moura Telles Archbishop primaz», under the moon fountain.
