"Angola's spiritual heart — a riverside church where over a million pilgrims gather each year"
Nossa Senhora da Muxima
Muxima, Luanda Province, Angola
On the banks of the Kwanza River, the Church of Nossa Senhora da Conceição da Muxima draws more than a million pilgrims annually. Built by the Portuguese in 1599, burned by the Dutch, rebuilt, and transformed by a suspected Marian apparition in 1833. Muxima means 'heart' in Kimbundu.
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Quick Facts
Location
Muxima, Luanda Province, Angola
Coordinates
-9.5207, 13.9597
Last Updated
Mar 9, 2026
Learn More
1599 Portuguese colonial church transformed by 1833 Marian apparition.
Origin Story
Built 1599. Burned 1641. Rebuilt 1655. Marian apparition 1833.
Spiritual Lineage
From Portuguese colonial church to Angola's most important pilgrimage site.
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