Category: Religious Architecture > Church
District: Aveiro > Aveiro > Aveiro > Santa Joana
The Mother Church of Santa Joana stands in the heart of the Santa Joana urbanization, an area of Aveiro that developed around its community identity. The church occupies a central place in this environment, serving as a point of reference and a meeting space for the population.
Located in the locality and municipality of Aveiro, its presence defines a significant area of the parish, reflecting its importance in daily life and local history.
The Mother Church of Santa Joana stands out for its modern conception, which moved away from traditional religious architecture patterns to embrace a vision inspired by ancient Byzantine basilicas. Designed by the renowned Oporto architect Luís Cunha and built between 1972 and 1976, this work features a spacious and open interior, which confers a sense of grandeur.
Its exterior elements, such as the configuration of the annexes and the movement of the ogival-shaped roofs, which harmoniously intertwine, contribute to a distinct and innovative aesthetic. The church is a remarkable example of how modern architecture can dialogue with historical and spiritual references.
The main façade of the church is a portal to the history and devotion to the patron saint, Santa Joana. In the tympana, sculpted directly into the concrete mass, there are two images that evoke crucial moments in the princess's life. In the left tympanum, her renunciation of the princely world is depicted, a symbolic gesture of surrender to the Passion of Christ, with the scissors highlighting the cut with her earthly past.
On the right side, the representation of her death is marked by the withering of trees and flowers, illustrating nature's sorrow at such an event. Between these two scenes, in the center of the façade, emerges the figure of Christ, the "Lord of the Universe," flanked by a Hand on the left and a Dove on the right, symbols of the Holy Trinity. Slightly set back, a slender bell tower completes the composition of the temple's front.
Upon entering the temple, the visitor's attention is captivated by light and art. On the back wall, to the right of the entrance, a large rose window-shaped stained-glass window, with polychrome glass, illuminates the tabernacle located opposite. On the left side, five smaller rose windows, arranged in the shape of a Greek cross, complement the lighting, creating a serene environment that softens the austerity of the wide back wall.
Further on, a polyptych on the back wall constitutes a central point of interest, offering a visual narrative of Santa Joana's life. At its center is the most famous portrait of the princess, flanked by other striking scenes. Among them, the prophetic dream of Santa Joana about the death of Richard III of England stands out, as does the representation of the Ria de Aveiro infested by epidemics in the 15th century, a period when the princess was forced to leave the city.
The polyptych culminates with the illustration of Santa Joana's devotion to the Passion of Christ, symbolized by two hands holding the crown of thorns, an element that recalls her renunciation of the royal diadem in favor of a deeper love and faith.
The church is not just a building of worship, but also a fundamental pillar in the history of the formation of the parish of Santa Joana. Every stone that composes it represents the union of a once dispersed community, which found in the figure of Santa Joana the strength to consolidate and build this sacred space.
In the square in front of the church, a statue of the princess, inaugurated in 2001, serves as a visible symbol and a physical presence of the patron saint. This image, which was previously located next to the Aveiro Museum, was welcomed by the parish as a lasting testament to the deep connection between Santa Joana and her community, becoming a point of contemplation and reflection.
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt
Coordinates DD: 40.63248348265496, -8.619020932956932
Coordinates DMS: 40°37'56.9"N 08°37'8.5"W
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