Chapel of Saint Agatha or Chapel of Saint Agueda or Chapel of Saint Neutel

Category: Religious Architecture > Hermitage

District: Beja > Alvito > Vila Nova da Baronia > Rio Seco

Location and Context

The Hermitage of Santa Ágata is located in the Santa Águeda Estate, near the village of Vila Nova da Baronia, in a montado area.

Architectural Styles

The monument is a small sanctuary that combines late Gothic, Mudéjar, and Mannerist elements.

Exterior Features

The galilee and the portal, which follow the Mannerist style, stand out.

Interior Frescoes

The interior of the hermitage is completely covered with frescoes from the 17th to 18th centuries, with representations of popular icons.

Polychrome Tiles

The high altar table features a front covered with 17th-century polychrome tiles, depicting birds and vegetal motifs in an oriental style, similar to those in the Main Church.

Pilgrimage and Festivities

The Hermitage of Santa Ágata is associated with an important local pilgrimage, held on Low Sunday, known as the Feast of Santa Águeda and São Neutel.

Significance of Milk

During the pilgrimage, farmers offered milk to Santa Águeda, believing that this would guarantee the fertility of the herds, in relation to the torture suffered by the saint.

Santa Águeda Route

The hermitage is part of the Santa Águeda Route, a path that also includes other religious monuments in Vila Nova da Baronia, such as the Chapel of Nossa Senhora da Conceição and the Main Church.

History

The hermitage was built in the 16th century, originally dedicated to São Neutel (Eleutherius), a 2nd-century AD pope. Retables and the galilee were added later.

Classification as a Monument of Public Interest

The chapel was classified as a Property of Public Interest in 2011, undergoing a conservation and restoration program for public opening.

Sources: https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capela_de_Santa_Ágata_(Vila_Nova_da_Baronia)

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