The date of the foundation of the church of S. João Baprista is unknown, but it is believed that the early church was erected by D. Gualdim Pais, while the castle was being built and the city was born. Perhaps the two enigmatic figures that are embedded in the base of the bell tower are testimony of those ancient times.
Around 1430 under the Infante D . Henrique new works on the church are undertaken. But only in 1467 under Kind D. Manuel I begin the works that will give rise to the church we know today. This is, in fact , an important example of Manueline architecture incorporated in the Late Gothic style.
The church is of rectangular plan, structured in 3 naves with a bell tower with a clock of the 16th century.
it portals are luxuriously decorated in Manueline style. The symbolic of D. Manuel I ( royal coat of arms, armillary sphere and cross of Christ) is present in the tower and is repeated in the Manueline pulpit of carved stone, the altar vault and in the western and northern portals.
In the exterior stands the 3 stage tower, the main portal , in Gothic style , the north portal and the south portal , eventual remnants of the primitive temple.
The structure of the naves is identical to that of the church of Santa Maria do Olival . The pulpit is of carved stone, the altar is baroque but with paintings of the 16th century,display the greatest exponent of Portuguese pictorial art of the time.
Inside, the decorated capitals of the interior columns stand out, as well a the several panels painted by Gregorio Lopes( circa 1530), one of the best Portuguese renaissance artists , painter of the Kings D.Manuel and D. João III.
The baptistery is also at the base of the tower , where you will also see a triptych on the life of Christ attributed to the school of the blemish painter Quentin de Metzys, from the beginning of the 16 century.
Around 1430 under the Infante D . Henrique new works on the church are undertaken. But only in 1467 under Kind D. Manuel I begin the works that will give rise to the church we know today. This is, in fact , an important example of Manueline architecture incorporated in the Late Gothic style.
The church is of rectangular plan, structured in 3 naves with a bell tower with a clock of the 16th century.
it portals are luxuriously decorated in Manueline style. The symbolic of D. Manuel I ( royal coat of arms, armillary sphere and cross of Christ) is present in the tower and is repeated in the Manueline pulpit of carved stone, the altar vault and in the western and northern portals.
In the exterior stands the 3 stage tower, the main portal , in Gothic style , the north portal and the south portal , eventual remnants of the primitive temple.
The structure of the naves is identical to that of the church of Santa Maria do Olival . The pulpit is of carved stone, the altar is baroque but with paintings of the 16th century,display the greatest exponent of Portuguese pictorial art of the time.
Inside, the decorated capitals of the interior columns stand out, as well a the several panels painted by Gregorio Lopes( circa 1530), one of the best Portuguese renaissance artists , painter of the Kings D.Manuel and D. João III.
The baptistery is also at the base of the tower , where you will also see a triptych on the life of Christ attributed to the school of the blemish painter Quentin de Metzys, from the beginning of the 16 century.
No comments:
Post a Comment