Category: Religious Architecture > Church
District: Braga > Póvoa de Lanhoso > Geraz do Minho > Olival
The Church of Geraz do Minho is located in the locality of the same name, Geraz do Minho, which is part of the municipality of Póvoa de Lanhoso. It is situated in the area known as Olival, in the heart of this Minho community.
This religious temple has a remarkably long history, estimated at around 800 years. The oldest part of the construction, the main nave, appears to have been erected in the 11th or 12th centuries. This antiquity gives the building special value, bearing witness to the passage of time and the evolution of the local community over many centuries.
Over the years, the original structure was expanded. On the left side of the nave, a chapel was added, its construction, dated 1614, was promoted by Jorge da Costa Mesquita, a figure connected to the Casa da Costa of the parish. Later, in 1674, the chapel on the right side was built. The doorposts of a door in the left chapel bear historical inscriptions such as "N. S. Da LUS 1615" and the phrase "Remember this Lord with your alms", which transport us to the time of these additions. The building benefited from restoration interventions in 1979 and, more recently, in 2003, focused on the interior.
Inside the church, it is possible to observe the altar of the left-side chapel, noted for its beauty. The pavement of the nave and chapels reveals the presence of multiple tombs, numerically identified from 1 to 60. Additionally, near the main entrance, even older tombs were found, suggesting a past of burials in this location dating back several hundred years.
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt
Coordinates DD: 41.5972239,-8.29765
Coordinates DMS: 41°35'50.0"N 08°17'51.5"W
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