Convento de São Gonçalo

Category: Religious Architecture > Church

District: Açores > Angra do Heroísmo > Angra do Heroísmo > Sé

Location

- Located in the historical center of Angra do Heroísmo, on Terceira Island, in the Azores.

- The largest and oldest convent in the city and archipelago.

History

- Founded in 1542 by Brás Pires do Canto, the first convent for nuns in Angra.

- Originally intended for Clarisse nuns, it was expanded throughout the 16th and 17th centuries.

- Inauguration of the Church of São Gonçalo in 1776.

- During the Portuguese Civil War, it was a refuge for emigrants and a setting for gallant life.

- The only convent preserved on the island after the extinction of the monasteries in 1832.

Notable Features

- Two cloisters, the cloister and the granaries.

- Church in Baroque and convent style, considered one of the best in the architecture of the reign of John V of Portugal.

- Three double-grated parlors and a wheel for contact between the recluses and the community.

- Lower choir with tombs of the nuns and processional image of the Lord of the Steps.

- Upper choir with the Congregation's stalls, 18th-century organ, and ceiling painting.

- Altar retable with a 17th-century sculpture of the Crucified One.

- 18th-century tile panels that tell the story of Joseph of Egypt.

- Tombstone carved in raised marble on the floor of the nave.

State of Conservation

- Classified as a Property of Public Interest since 1971.

- Suffered damage to the cloister due to an earthquake at the end of the 19th century.

Traditions and Curious Stories

- During the Portuguese Civil War, the convent was the scene of gallant life and love intrigues.

- Oral tradition mentions a nun who refused to meet with Pedro IV of Portugal and was punished by the Mother Abbess.

- Vitorino Nemésio describes the convent as a bustling and gentle place.

- José Trasimundo Mascarenhas Barreto highlights the nuns' talents in music, sweets, confectionery, and liqueurs.

Sources: https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Convento_de_São_Gonçalo

License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt