Category: Religious Architecture > Church
District: Bragança > Carrazeda de Ansiães > Pinhal do Norte > Brunheda
Situated in the picturesque urbanization of Brunheda, in the heart of Pinhal do Norte, Carrazeda de Ansiães, the Parish Church stands at a central point of the village. The site is located on a spur that provides a setting overlooking the hillside, near the left bank of the Tua River. The temple is set in an elevated churchyard, paved with granite cubes, and delimited by a stone wall topped with railings. Access to the churchyard is via staircases lateral to the facade. This surrounding space, punctuated by some olive trees and traces of ancient granite tomb covers, invites a moment of tranquility and contemplation of the rural Trás-os-Montes environment.
The Church of Brunheda, whose construction probably dates back to the 18th century, features a religious architecture with Mannerist lines, with a longitudinal plan that integrates the nave, the chancel, and a lateral sacristy. The facades are made of plastered and white-painted masonry, highlighted by a grey plinth and pilastered quoins culminating in pinnacles, adorned with friezes and granite cornices. The main facade, oriented to the west, stands out for its truncated gable, which houses the bell tower in a perfect arch, and for the main portal, with a straight lintel, flanked by pilasters with cushioned shafts and topped by a semicircular pediment. To the right of this portal, a polychrome tile panel depicts Our Lady of Piety, adding a touch of color and devotion to the temple's exterior.
Upon crossing the church's threshold, the visitor encounters an interior that, though simple in its white plastered walls, surprises with the vibrant color of its ceiling. The ceiling, made of planked wood, is painted in a celestial blue that creates a distinct and serene atmosphere. The nave space integrates a wooden choir loft with a balustraded guardrail. The triumphal arch, of perfect arch, introduces the chancel, which rises gently one step above the nave. The main highlight of the interior lies in its gilded and polychrome carved altarpieces, which display the exuberant characteristics of the Baroque style, despite their genesis in the Mannerist period. The main altarpiece, central and imposing, features a tribune on its central axis, ornamented with the inscription "IHS" surrounded by cherubs, and is flanked by elements that house sacred imagery. The collateral altarpieces, dedicated, among others, to Our Lady of Piety, display a wealth of details, with twisted or smooth-shafted columns, adorned with phytomorphic motifs, acanthus, and cherubs, revealing the mastery of the artisans of the time.
This church, dedicated to Saint Anthony, reflects the deep religiosity and cultural legacy of Brunheda. Although the devotion to Our Lady of Piety is equally notable, evident in the facade's tile panel and in one of the interior altarpieces, the presence of Saint Anthony's image in the main altarpiece suggests his particular importance as the principal patron saint. Built in a period of artistic flourishing, the church represents a testament to the faith and art of the 18th century in the region of Carrazeda de Ansiães, inviting an appreciation of both its architecture and its ornamental richness.
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt
Coordinates DD: 41.3239928,-7.3503701
Coordinates DMS: 41°19'26.4"N 07°21'1.3"W
Weather Pinhal do Norte
On-duty Pharmacy Pinhal do Norte
