Category: Religious Architecture > Church
District: Aveiro > Murtosa > Torreira
Located in Torreira, Murtosa municipality, the Chapel of São Paio stands in a place that, although integrated into the urban fabric of the locality, maintains an atmosphere of certain tranquility. It is specifically located in the Largo da Capela de São Paio area, with access from Avenida da Circunvalação and Rua de São Paio.
The history of this place of worship dates back to the 18th century. Around 1732, efforts began to build a primitive chapel dedicated to São Paio on this site. The building we observe today is, however, a later construction, dated 1878, erected over the remains of the original structure. Throughout the centuries, the chapel has been a point of reference for devotion in the region.
The current Chapel of São Paio features characteristics of 19th-century religious architecture. It is a smaller building, designed for worship and to welcome devotees. Its lines are simple and functional, typical of chapels built during that period to serve local communities.
The Chapel of São Paio is strongly associated with one of the most popular and well-attended pilgrimages in the Aveiro district, the Romaria de São Paio. This festivity gained great notoriety in the 19th century, attracting numerous people from neighboring municipalities and mobilizing boats that arrived in Torreira, where the lowered sails formed improvised awnings. Although devotion has seen its ups and downs over time, the pilgrimage in honor of São Paio remains an important event, preserving the historical link between the chapel and the local community.
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt
Coordinates DD: 40.7648487,-8.7026669
Coordinates DMS: 40°45'53.5"N 08°42'9.6"W
