Benguela Cathedral Church

Enthusiastic, the prelate D. Manuel Junqueira and the governor of the time, Comandante Zanati, swore together (by God and by all the saints) that they would build a large church dedicated to Our Lady of the Shepherds.
Promise made in 1947, when the image of Our Lady of Fátima wandered through the streets shaded by red acacia trees. Today it is an architectural symbol of Benguela and an important religious center.

It was precisely 58 years ago, in 1967, that the Benguela Cathedral (seat of the parish of Our Lady of Fátima) began to take shape.
A few meters from the old temple dedicated to the same Catholic figure, which was on the other side of the avenue. The project was ambitious: a temple with a huge, triangular facade, modern lines in imposing features. Beautiful, simple and effective.
Drawing attributed to architect Mário de Oliveira.

Construction began to change the face of the current Avenida Agostinho Neto, under the watchful eye of the memorable Father Teixeira, an unavoidable figure in Benguela at that time and the Cathedral's first parish priest. In 1975, eight years after the laying of the first stone, the Cathedral was half finished, half finished.
And it remained that way for 40 years.

The postponed completion of the enormous temple did not prevent the building from being adapted to fulfill its purpose.
With the façade still to be closed and half exposed to the elements, the Cathedral functioned as a religious center throughout this time.
In 2006, the church was once again at the top of the priorities of the Diocese of Benguela. Today, the Church of Our Lady of Fátima is a pearl of religious architecture, not only in Benguela, but also throughout the country.

Inspired by the Sumbe Cathedral (dedicated to another Our Lady, Conceição, and whose construction began a year earlier than the Benguela Cathedral), the building is marked by triangular shapes that are repeated outside and inside, from the nave to the windows and other elements of the interior.
The stained glass windows that surround it give it the touch of light common to buildings of that time, and the feeling of spaciousness and freshness necessary to mitigate the humid and torrid air that sweeps Benguela.

The exterior of the Cathedral has a well-kept garden, and a wonderful view of a city square, making it an important tourist attraction in the province. To complement the incredible visit to the Benguela Cathedral, there is a wide variety of places of high tourist value nearby, such as hotels, restaurants and shopping centers. When visiting the province of Benguela, the Benguela Cathedral, located right in the center of the city, is without a doubt one of the places you should visit.