Category: Religious Architecture > Church
District: Bragança > Vinhais > Vinhais > Arrabalde
The São Francisco de Vinhais Church Complex and the Seminary of the Apostolic Missionaries of Vinhais, located in the town of Vinhais, municipality of Vinhais, offer tourists a rich history and religious architecture to explore.
- The church's facade displays the image of Our Lady of the Incarnation and the Archangel Gabriel, highlighting a legend in which a stonemason escaped unharmed from a fall, attributing it to a miracle.
- The friars of this religious institution preached both in Trás-os-Montes and Entre Douro e Minho, leaving a significant legacy in the region.
- The Seminary of the Franciscan Apostolic Missionaries of Vinhais was founded on January 7, 1740, by D. João V, and over the years it received support from benefactors such as José de Morais Sarmento and José de Magalhães.
- During the era of religious orders, the friars of São Francisco played an important role, but were expelled in 1834 by the Decree of May 28.
- A missionary's prophecy about the return of missions to the church came true when a fig tree grew in the bell tower, leading to missionary visits in later times.
- The church's Baroque facade features striking elements, such as pilasters, barred windows, Joannine frames, and Franciscan shields.
- The church has a single nave, a rectangular chancel, a sacristy, and a high choir. The altarpieces, such as those of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Our Lady of the Rosary, are noteworthy.
- The Seminary has a simpler construction, with balconies on the facade and a square cloister with a rocaille tank and neoclassical statue in the center.
- After the expulsion of the religious, the Convent served as accommodation for public offices and a military barracks.
- It was leased and later purchased by the diocese, becoming a Minor Seminary.
- Currently, it is deactivated, but maintains its historical and architectural value.
- In addition to the main church, the complex includes the Chapels of Our Lady of Sorrows and the Chapel of the Prayer of Jesus in the Garden, as well as the Seminary Church, dedicated to Our Lady of the Incarnation.
- Inscriptions and tombstones within the complex reveal details about the foundation and personalities involved, such as José de Morais Sarmento and his legacy.
The São Francisco de Vinhais Church Complex and the Seminary of the Apostolic Missionaries of Vinhais offer a fascinating journey through the religious and architectural history of the region, with legends, notable characters, and visual elements that reflect the devotion and cultural heritage of the area.
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt
Coordinates DD: 41.832534,-7.007443
Coordinates DMS: 41°49'57.1"N 07°00'26.8"W
Weather Vinhais
On-duty Pharmacy Vinhais
