Igreja Nossa Senhora do Rosário, matriz de Olhão, Parish church in Olhão, Portugal.
Igreja Nossa Senhora do Rosário is the main parish church in Olhão, a port town in the Algarve region of southern Portugal. The building has white-painted walls and a notable bell tower positioned at the end of Avenida da República, with its front entrance opening onto Praça da Restauração.
Construction began in 1698 and continued until 1715, with funding and labor from local fishing families. This became the first permanent stone building in Olhão, transforming the town from a simple maritime settlement into a more established community.
The main chapel houses a 17th-century statue of Nossa Senhora do Rosário and displays traditional Portuguese ceramic tiles throughout the interior. The tilework decorates walls and corners, creating a distinctly Portuguese religious experience for those who enter.
The church welcomes visitors during regular daytime hours, with the main entrance opening onto the front plaza and a rear chapel accessible from the back. Morning or early afternoon visits allow you to view the interior without crowds and appreciate the architectural details.
White storks regularly nest and rest on the church's highest points, especially on the bell tower and roof edges. Their presence brings distinctive sounds across the square, particularly during nesting season when they create their characteristic loud clicking calls with their beaks.
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