Noble House of the Morgado and Chapel of Saint Anthony

Category: Civil Architecture > House

District: Coimbra > Montemor-o-Velho > Abrunheira

Location:

Erected on Rua de Santo António, in the heart of Abrunheira, this construction is part of the village's main street, surrounded by traditional housing and small arteries leading to the Mondego River. The cobblestone pavement and low curbs give it a serene atmosphere, typical of a village in the interior of the Coimbra district.

The building faces east, benefiting from the morning light on its main façade. The urban surroundings retain historical features, without significant modern interferences, allowing one to perceive the original alignment of the stately homes.

Historical Value:

Built during the Baroque period, the Noble House of the Morgado (also known as Solar dos Ornelas or Nápoles) was the residence of influential families in the region. The coat of arms carved above the portal alludes to the social status of the former owners and to the title of morgado, an expression of the hereditary continuity of their possessions.

The Chapel of Santo António, attached to the main body, functioned as a private place of worship, reflecting the central role of religious devotion in the daily lives of these noble families. Its registration as a Property of Municipal Interest attests to the cultural relevance of this complex.

Architecture and Details:

The main body features a rectangular plan and horizontal volume, organized into two floors connected by prominent friezes. The symmetry of the curved lintel openings, framed in smoothly carved stonework, gives rhythm to the façade, interrupted only by the central portal, decorated with plain pilasters, a broken pediment, and a heraldic coat of arms.

The adjacent chapel features a vaulted ceiling inside, where a painted ceiling with the image of the Virgin at the center stands out. At the high altar, an 18th-century Baroque altarpiece in gilded carving adds brilliance and highlights the artistic quality of the sacred works of the period.

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