Church of São Martinho de Manhente

Category: Religious Architecture > Place of Worship

District: Braga > Barcelos > Manhente

Location:

Situated in the serene locality of Manhente, in the municipality of Barcelos, the Church of São Martinho stands as a landmark in the surrounding rural landscape.

Its position, integrated into the fabric of the small village, provides an atmosphere of tranquility and reflection, characteristic of Minho villages.

The location invites a peaceful stroll through the surroundings, allowing one to appreciate the calm of the countryside and the simplicity of traditional Portuguese architecture in the church's vicinity.

A Millennial Heritage:

The Church of São Martinho de Manhente is a living testament to a history dating back to the dawn of the Kingdom of Portugal.

Founded as a modest convent, possibly as early as the first half of the 10th century, this church was the heart of a monastic complex that would come to play a significant role in the region.

Over the centuries, the building underwent various transformations, but its essence and much of its original structure have endured, allowing the church and the defensive tower accompanying it to be classified today as a National Monument.

The Richness of Romanesque Architecture:

One of the most striking aspects of the Church of São Martinho is its remarkable main façade, dominated by a Romanesque portal of exceptional beauty. This portal stands out for its four profusely decorated archivolts featuring a variety of motifs that reflect the artistic richness of local Romanesque art, such as lanceolate leaves, intricate interlaces, rosettes, checkered patterns, and ovals. It is considered one of the earliest examples of ornamented archivolts, making it a point of interest for those who appreciate medieval art.

The columns supporting the archivolts are unusually short, lending a peculiarity to the composition, while the capitals are adorned with corbels and vegetal motifs. Inside, it is possible to observe some ashlar blocks reused from the original construction, displaying pre-Romanesque motifs, such as circles with pentalphas and floral shapes, which testify to the longevity and successive transformations of the space. An epigraphic inscription from the year 1117, which names master Gonçalo (Gundisalvus magister) as responsible for the work, underscores the antiquity and importance of this building in the history of Portuguese architecture.

The Defensive Tower and Other Elements:

Attached to the church stands a robust quadrangular tower, which in the past played a defensive role, serving as a watchtower for the region. This tower, with its fortress-like characteristics, lends a unique character to the ensemble, harking back to times when security was paramount and tower houses were a common presence in residential and defensive architecture.

Upon exploring the exterior of the temple, visitors may notice the presence of a large Gothic-style arcosolium on the south side wall of the chancel, an element denoting Gothic interventions in the temple. The bell tower, in turn, already exhibits Baroque features, indicating the remodelling the church underwent over the centuries, resulting in a harmonious fusion of different architectural periods that contribute to its unique identity.

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