The chapel designed by Álvaro Siza is located in Lagos, in the Algarve region of Portugal. Part of the Monte da Charneca complex, Capela do Monte was commissioned by a Swiss-American couple residing there.
Located on a small, cleared out piece of land surrounded by lush greenery, the chapel rises like a solid block with a slightly raised patio that connects to the rest of the building, allowing an entrance into the chapel.
The sandy colored, 10.34 x 6.34-meter structure was built at the highest point of a hill and can only be accessed by foot. Its monolithic geometry suggests, from outside, a serenity from the inner space. The wooden furniture within the chapel were all designed by Siza and manufactured by Serafim Pereira Simões Successors of Porto.
Monte da Charneca Center also includes seven traditional style residences in the region, restored over the last 30 years. Also, new residential structures and facilities seeking to revive the region's agricultural activity will be built by 2021.
