Category: Religious Architecture > Church
District: Bragança > Mirandela > Mascarenhas > Paradela
The Church of Mascarenhas is located in the Paradela urbanization, on the northeastern edge of the locality of Mascarenhas. It stands on a slightly elevated point, with a gentle slope, integrated into the characteristic wide valley landscape, near the Ribeira da Cidade stream, which flows into the Tua River.
The building is situated in a level square paved with granite cubes that serves as a churchyard. This space, flanked by walls and punctuated by a few trees, invites a moment of tranquility, with access through gates.
With a Baroque religious architectural design, the church features a longitudinal plan that includes the main nave and the chancel. The facades are plastered and painted white, highlighting granite stonework elements such as the plinth, pilastered quoins, and the cornice that tops the walls.
The main facade, west-facing, is crowned by a bell tower with two arched openings, flanked by volutes and topped by a pediment. The entrance portal, with a straight lintel, is framed by pilasters and surmounted by a broken triangular pediment. At the top of the facade, there is a mechanical clock.
The history of the church in Mascarenhas dates back to ancient times, with records of a local church since the 13th century, mentioned in the inquisitions of D. Afonso III in 1258. By 1320, a church of Santa Maria already existed in the locality.
The building we can observe today was constructed in the 18th century. An inscription on the frieze of the main portal precisely indicates the year 1721 as the date when the work was carried out. This date is also engraved on the base of the cross that stands in the churchyard.
Upon entering, visitors find a simple interior with its plastered and white walls, contrasting with the granite slab flooring. The nave ceiling is a false wooden barrel vault, while in the chancel the ceiling is more robust, a barrel vault with granite coffers.
The main highlight of the interior lies in the rich gilded woodwork. The main altarpiece, with a straight plan, is notable for its six Solomonic columns adorned with vine leaves and decorative elements such as acanthus and cherubs. There are also side altarpieces, in National Style, and collateral altarpieces, with a Mannerist-influenced structure, dedicated to different invocations. The woodwork also extends through the triumphal arch, creating an environment of great artistic beauty.
Other interior elements include the choir loft with a wooden railing, a baptistery delimited by railings, and a quadrangular pulpit with a stone basin.
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt
Coordinates DD: 41.5634367,-7.1363681
Coordinates DMS: 41°33'48.4"N 07°08'10.9"W
Weather Mascarenhas
On-duty Pharmacy Mascarenhas
