Our Lady of the Conception Chapel

Category: Religious Architecture > Church

District: Coimbra > Condeixa-a-Nova > Anobra > Venda da Luísa

Location

In the municipality of Condeixa-a-Nova, the Chapel of Nossa Senhora da Conceição is located in the town of Anobra, in the area of Venda da Luísa. This religious building stands in a central space, surrounded by a gently rising cobbled square of limestone, giving it a remarkable presence in the local urban landscape.

A Resilient Past

The origins of this temple date back to medieval times, with indications of its existence as early as the 13th or 14th centuries. Over the centuries, the building underwent various transformations that shaped its current configuration. A significant enlargement in the 16th century stands out, and, in particular, a major renovation undertaken in 1787, a date that can still be seen on the main portal today. It was also at the end of the 18th century that its impressive main and collateral altars took their current form.

The history of the Chapel is marked by moments of adversity, such as the looting and destruction suffered during the French Invasions at the beginning of the 19th century, which affected its altars and statuary. Despite these challenges, the building resisted, maintaining its status as a center of local religious life to this day, with the construction of its bell tower completing the structure in the 19th century.

Architectural and Artistic Features

The Chapel of Nossa Senhora da Conceição features predominantly Baroque architecture, with a longitudinal plan characteristic of religious temples. Its main façade, facing west, is crowned by an elegant cutout gable with a cornice. The rectilinear portal, with its interrupted pediment, and the cutout quadrangular window, bear the date of 1787, testifying to an important phase of its construction.

Upon entering, visitors are greeted by a richly decorated interior. The ceilings, with their false wooden vaults, reveal paneling, with those in the chancel highlighted by paintings of vegetal motifs, cartouches, and auricular forms. The interior walls, with their tile wainscoting, guide the eye to the triumphal arch, made of ashlar, which precedes the chancel. Here, the collateral altars stand out, notable for their polychrome carving, which simulates marbling and gilded details, and the elaborate main altarpiece. The latter, with a convex plan, is an example of Joanine-inspired carving, with its lateral niches that open theatrically, and a central finial with sculpted angels crowning a glory in splendor. The use of materials such as limestone, wood, and azulejo tiles contributes to the visual and textural identity of the space.

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