The entire territory of the archipelago of Madeira is deeply marked by religion. One of its most apparent expressions is the wealth and diversity of temples we can find here. In the municipality of Câmara de Lobos, you will find what some scholars consider to have been the first chapel built on the island: the Nossa Senhora da Conceição Chapel.
Its history takes us back to 1420, when it was commissioned by João Gonçalves Zarco, the navigator who discovered this 'pearl of the Atlantic' and lived in Câmara de Lobos between 1420 and 1424. The Nossa Senhora da Conceição Chapel, also known as Nossa Senhora do Calhau Chapel, is located in the heart of this city, next to its famous bay.
Between 1723 and 1908, it underwent successive restorations until it was given the shape we see today. The gilded woodwork altar is Baroque. Inside, you can also find paintings by Nicolau Ferreira. On 21 October 1993, the Regional Government of Madeira decided to classify it as a monument of Regional Cultural value.
On 8 December, the feast of the Immaculate Conception is celebrated here.
Located in the heart of Câmara de Lobos, by the bay, the Nossa Senhora da Conceição Chapel is, according to some scholars, the first chapel on the island of Madeira.
