The Church of Santa Maria was built in the late XV century, namely, in 1498, and is located on the area of Prince Henry, named in honour of king Henry the Navigator.

Since the second half of the XVII century Church of Santa Maria is the parish Church of Lagos. Until that time, the parish Church in the city served as the Church of Santa Maria da graça, which was destroyed by fire, when the earthquake struck in 1755. At the end of the XIX century Church of Santa Maria was restored from the original building remained only the portal of the temple, which dates back to the XVI century and overlooks the square. The portal in the Renaissance style surrounded by columns in the Doric style, at the top of sculptural busts of the apostles Peter and Paul. On the sides are two symmetrical bell tower.

The original name of the temple - the Church of Mercy, and after reconstruction, in the XVI century, the Church was called Santa Maria. Inside the Church has one nave, there is the baptistery the baptistery, the ceiling of the temple is made of wood. Attracts attention with its decoration of the main chapel, which is on a hill. It is worth noting that the place for the choir in the Church also is on the rise. To approach the altar, which is decorated with the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ, visitors pass through the arch. Just inside the Church are the image of the assumption of the blessed virgin, the virgin of Mercy, which date back to the second half of the seventeenth century.