Luanda - The minister of Culture, Tourism and Environment, Filipe Zau, on Tuesday said the urban facelift project of the Muxima village will preserve the natural environment of the area.
The minister disclosed the information to the press after witnessing the launch, by the Angolan President, João Lourenço, of the works on Muxima village facelift, which includes the construction of the sanctuary in the locality.
The minister underscored that the rehabilitation and tourism development project of the village follows the principles of environmental sustainability.
Ana Paula de Carvalho, Luanda governor, said she believes that the facelift of the Muxima village will improve the life of the local people and secure countless new jobs.
Ana Carvalho highlighted the tourist potential of the region, which is home to around 80 percent of the Quiçama National Park, having secured the decent relocation of the families affected by the rehabilitation works.
The refurbishment of the village and construction of the sanctuary also includes the construction of a medical centre, local administration, National Police Command, school, community centre, clergy building, subdivision area for family homes and a campsite.
To be implemented in an area of 90 hectares, 40 hectares of which in this first phase, the facelift covers also the construction of residential and commercial buildings, power plant and treatment of drinking and residual water.
The future Sanctuary of “Nossa Senhora da Muxima” (Our Lady of Muxima), also called Basilica of Nossa Senhora da Muxima, to be built in an area of 18,000 square meters, will have the capacity to accommodate at least 4,600 people seated, a public square with a capacity for 200,000 worshipers and another 5,000 inside the sanctuary.
In 2018, the President of the Republic, João Lourenço, authorized the restructuration of the town and sanctuary of Muxima, in a total budget of just over to 91.6 billion kwanzas.
The Muxima Sanctuary is the largest centre of Catholic worshipers in Angola. It hosts an annual pilgrimage with hundreds of thousands of Christians.
Located on the river Cuanza bank at Luanda Quiçama Municipality, the area was occupied by the Portuguese in 1589 who, ten years later, built a fortress and the Church of Nossa Senhora da Conceição (Our Lady of Assumption), also known as “Mamã Muxima”.
