Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Assunção, Matriz de Moncorvo
Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Assunção, Matriz de Moncorvo
Monuments
The present-day parish church of Torre de Moncorvo is dedicated to Nossa Senhora da Assunção (Our Lady of the Assumption), who is the patron saint of the town. The building of the church first began in 1544, but the work was not completed until a century later.
Considered to be one of the largest parish churches in the country, it is an imposing granite building, whose essentially vertical lines are accentuated by the large prominent tower.
The decorative features enlivening the outside of the church are worthy of careful observation, particularly the gargoyles with their animal and human shapes, as well as those of hybrid beings portrayed in curious postures. Notice, for example, the figure pulling its ears, or those that have their mouths open, as if they were shouting, but who really only fulfil the simple function of providing an outlet for the rainwater.
The date of 1567 has been inscribed above the church's southern Renaissance doorway. Either side of the door can be seen two low-relief sculptured faces, contained within medallions, which are a typical decorative feature of the Renaissance style and have been identified by some historians as the portraits of the church's architects. The northern doorway, also Renaissance in style, bears the date of 1566.
The church's large and spacious interior is divided into three naves of the same height, a structure frequently found in the Manueline style, and enriched by several baroque altars. The highlight is the precious retable of the high altar, made in 1752 by the sculptor Jacinto da Silva, from Braga. On one of the side altars, in the Chapel of the Holy Sacrament, we can appreciate the Triptych of the Life of St Anne, a precious 16th-century Mannerist altarpiece, originating from a workshop in Antwerp and considered to be one of the most valuable works of art in the region of Trás-os-Montes. The 18th-century mural paintings of the high altar and the church's main body have been attributed to Francisco Bernardo Alves.
According to popular tradition, this church is said to be made of "figs and honey". This is due to the fact that a fig-tree has sprouted in the middle of the façade and that there is a beehive in the outer wall of the church's right-hand side. Despite various attempts to clean them away, both of these features have remained there for many years.
Considered to be one of the largest parish churches in the country, it is an imposing granite building, whose essentially vertical lines are accentuated by the large prominent tower.
The decorative features enlivening the outside of the church are worthy of careful observation, particularly the gargoyles with their animal and human shapes, as well as those of hybrid beings portrayed in curious postures. Notice, for example, the figure pulling its ears, or those that have their mouths open, as if they were shouting, but who really only fulfil the simple function of providing an outlet for the rainwater.
The date of 1567 has been inscribed above the church's southern Renaissance doorway. Either side of the door can be seen two low-relief sculptured faces, contained within medallions, which are a typical decorative feature of the Renaissance style and have been identified by some historians as the portraits of the church's architects. The northern doorway, also Renaissance in style, bears the date of 1566.
The church's large and spacious interior is divided into three naves of the same height, a structure frequently found in the Manueline style, and enriched by several baroque altars. The highlight is the precious retable of the high altar, made in 1752 by the sculptor Jacinto da Silva, from Braga. On one of the side altars, in the Chapel of the Holy Sacrament, we can appreciate the Triptych of the Life of St Anne, a precious 16th-century Mannerist altarpiece, originating from a workshop in Antwerp and considered to be one of the most valuable works of art in the region of Trás-os-Montes. The 18th-century mural paintings of the high altar and the church's main body have been attributed to Francisco Bernardo Alves.
According to popular tradition, this church is said to be made of "figs and honey". This is due to the fact that a fig-tree has sprouted in the middle of the façade and that there is a beehive in the outer wall of the church's right-hand side. Despite various attempts to clean them away, both of these features have remained there for many years.
Contacts
Address:
Largo General Claudino e Dr. Balbino Rêgo 5160-241 TORRE DE MONCORVO
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