Portugal Announces 147 Finalist Sites in New 7 Wonders Heritage Contest

The "Novas 7 Maravilhas de Portugal" competition announced 147 heritage sites that will advance to the next stage, chosen from 629 applications. The announcement was held on 29 May at the National Palace of Queluz in Lisbon, marking the start of a public voting period that will determine the winners.

Santarém municipality secured three of the finalists: the Cathedral of Santarém (Religion category), the Municipal Market of Santarém and the Palace of Justice of Santarém (both in the 20th‑Century category). The cathedral is a baroque monument dating to the 18th century, the market is an early work by architect Cassiano Branco combining classicist and neo‑baroque elements, and the Palace of Justice, inaugurated in 1954, exemplifies State‑Novo institutional architecture.

Regional semifinals begin on 13 June and will be broadcast live on TVI. Voting can be made by phone or via the TVI Pass app, with PwC auditing the process. Organisers highlighted that preserving monuments strengthens national identity and offers development opportunities.