Convento dos Lóios complex including the Church and the monumental staircase

Category: Religious Architecture > Convent

District: Aveiro > Santa Maria da Feira > Santa Maria da Feira

Location

The Convent of Lóios is located in the parish of Feira, city and municipality of Santa Maria da Feira, in the district of Aveiro, Portugal.

History

It was built on the initiative of the 3rd Count of Feira, D. Manuel Pereira. However, it was his son, the 4th Count of Feira, Diogo Pereira, and his wife, Ana de Menezes, who continued with the devotion to Saint John the Evangelist. The convent was founded in 1560.

Classification

The convent complex is in the process of being classified.

Structure

The complex includes the convent building to the south and the Church of Lóios to the north, oriented from east to west. In the center there is a cloister with a square plan, with a fountain in the middle.

Facade and staircase

The west facade is impressive, covered in blue and white tiles from the 17th century. In front of it, there is a wide and majestic staircase with two flights. In the middle of the staircase, there is a cross dated 1746 and tombstones from the 16th century embedded in the pavement.

Fountain

The lower staircase of the monumental staircase has a 17th-century fountain, with a quadrilobed shape and overlapping bowls, crowned by an armillary sphere.

Sources: https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Convento_dos_Lóios_(Feira)

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