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Covilhã is a city built on a hill. Indeed, the city clings to the steep eastern slopes of the Serra da Estrela, the highest point in Portugal. Because of the steepness of the terrain, it is very difficult to find any spot in the city that was flat. As a result, the city is very beautiful with many decorated terrances and gardens. The missionaries who served here soon developed very strong legs.
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The Covilhã chapel is one of the largest in the mission. The building was orignially built as a home. There are three floors plus an attic. One of the large rooms on the second floor serves as the chapel. The large room in the ground floor serve as a recreation area. For a house so big, the central stairway is amazingly small. Typically, large Porguese homes have large stair way with large windows either above on one side of the stairs.
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Just up the mountain from Covilhã is the highest point in Portugal. The small tower in the picture marks this spot. The elevation is approximately 6,000 feet above sea level. In the winter time, there is a lot of snow that falls in this area. There is a small ski hill nearby.
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High on the Serra da Estrela, is a short, deep canyon that has been made into a lovely and inspiring picnicking area. The high mountain air inspire Elders Smith and Johnson into a stick pulling contest. Photo by Ryan Angus.
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