The Church of São João Baptista (Portuguese: Igreja Paroquial de Cimo de Vila de Castanheira/Igreja de São João Baptista) is a church in the civil parish of Cimo de Vila da Castenheira, in the municipality of Chaves, in the Portuguese Norte district of Vila Real.
| Church of São João Baptista | |
|---|---|
| Parochial Church of Cimo de Vila da Castanheira | |
Igreja de São João Baptista | |
 | |
| 41°47′55.3″N 7°16′5.2″W / 41.798694°N 7.268111°W | |
| Location | Vila Real, Alto Trás-os-Montes, Norte |
| Country | Portugal |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| History | |
| Dedication | St. John the Baptist |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Diocese of Vila Real |
History
editThe church was probably constructed between the 13th and 14th century.[1]
By 1758, the curia of Castanheira were presented by the rector of Sanfins, annexed to the brotherhood of the Company of Christ, in the Colegio od Coimbra, supported by 60$000 in land rents.[1] On 4 July 1774, D. José incorporated all the possessions of the extinct Company of Christ into the property of the University of Coimbra, which assumed its administration.[1]
On 5 May 1835, a decree incorporated the church into the Bens Próprios Nacionais (national assets) of the university, but continued to operate independently with the same land rents.[1] But, by 21 November 1848, there was a new law passed to delimit what which possessions the university required function in Coimbra.[1]
In 1984, there was a collapse of the nave's ceiling and lateral cornices; the masonry was damaged and various decorative elements were destroyed.[1]
Architecture
editThe church is located in a rural, isolated area, implanted in a mountainous zone, alongside the cemetery (which is located to the rear).[1]
The church is planted longitudinally, composed by two volumes: a rectangular nave and secondary section with sacristy addorsed to the northern wall.[1] The main facade is oriented to the west, featuring a portal with perfect arch, composed of high chamfered staves over a smooth base and surmounted by small central oculus.[1] Over the portal are three protrusions that mark the disappeared awning that use to exist, while over the frontispiece is a stone cross.[1] On the southern facade along the nave wall has a chamfered Romanesque door and rectangular window. The eastern facade has a rectangular window along the sacristy.[1] Along with a simple cornice, the north facade conserves sculpted representations of humans and animals.[1]
References
editNotes
edit- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Sereno, Isabel; Teixeira, Ricardo (1994), SIPA (ed.), Igreja Paroquial de Cimo de Vila de Castanheira / Igreja de São João Baptista (IPA.00003661/PT011703090017) (in Portuguese), Lisbon, Portugal: SIPA – Sistema de Informação para o Património Arquitectónico, retrieved 21 November 2016
Sources
edit- Gonçalves, Catarina Valença (1 March 2001), A Pintura Mural em Portugal: os casos da Igreja de Santiago de Belmonte e da Capela do Espírito Santo de Maçainhas, [dissertação de Mestrado na Faculdade de Letras de Lisboa] (in Portuguese), vol. 2, Lisbon, Portugal
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