The Church of Santa Maria was built in the 15th century. It has a rectangular layout, with a single nave and elevated main chapel, baptistery and high choir. There is an intricately carved masonry doorway dating from the early 16th century. The high altar is unusual in the way it has been painted using luminous colours to illustrate biblical scenes. After a fire, caused by the earthquake of 1755, destroyed the nearby Church of Santa Maria da Graça the Church of Santa Maria became the parish church of Lagos. It was renovated at the end of the 19th century.