Sanctuary of Fatima: Church of the Most Holy Trinity

Karla Britton · Alexandros N. Tombazis · The Images Publishing Group

ene 2011 · Images Publishing

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Millions of pilgrims flock to Fatima in Portugal every year. To provide for these pilgrims from the world over, a new church building was needed to accommodate up to 9000 people. The Church of the Most Holy Trinity was completed in 2007 for use at Sunday mass. One of the key challenges in its design was to create a building that, despite its size, would blend unobtrusively into the historical site and have a harmonious relationship with the existing basilica. The church also needed to offer the possibility of being used for other cultural or religious purposes. In taking on this challenge, Tombazis became a member of a select group of current-day architects who have been charged with creating sacred architecture in an increasingly secular world. The integration of function, form and symbolism is key in this endeavour, and this remarkable volume demonstrates how elegantly and precisely Tombazis and his team have achieved this at Fatima.

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Jose Saramago, the Portuguese writer and prescient chronicler of his country's ancient myths and history of his people, writes that Portugal is `a country rich in supernatural pageantry'. Here the traveller is `forced to recognise his own shortcomings, and admit he has everything to learn. About miracles, as all else'. One would do well to heed Saramago's advice in considering the design of the recently constructed pilgrimage church in Fatima, Portugal, by Greek architect Alexandros N. Tombazis.