Parochial Church of Botão

Category: Culture and Entertainment > Museum

District: Coimbra > Coimbra > Botão > Souselas e Botão

Location

The Parish Church of Botão stands on an elevated platform, in the center of the locality of Botão, in the Union of Parishes of Souselas and Botão, in Coimbra. Access to the temple is via a stone staircase, which leads to a well-maintained and landscaped churchyard. This outdoor space provides a tranquil and serene setting. The facades facing the urban area of the village overlook Largo do Botão, where a fountain is located. The remaining sides of the church open onto the surrounding landscape, characterized by rugged topography and abundant vegetation.

Witness to Eras

Also known as the Church of Saint Matthew, this religious building is a notable record of architectural evolution throughout the centuries. Its origins date back to references from the 12th century, highlighting its historical connection with the Monastery of Lorvão. Over time, the temple underwent several remodels and expansions, which gave it a hybrid style, marked by Manueline elements in the chancel and sacristy, and later Mannerist and Baroque additions. The expansion of the church to three naves, which occurred in the 17th century, is one of the most significant transformations, demonstrating the adaptation and growth of the parish community.

Art and Devotion Within

The interior of the Parish Church of Botão reveals an artistic ensemble of great interest. The naves, separated by arches over Tuscan columns, lead to the chancel, where an impressive star vault stands out. This vault features decorated bosses, one of which displays the coat of arms of D. Catarina de Eça, abbess of Lorvão, a prominent figure in the temple's 16th-century remodels. The decorative richness is evident in the various altarpieces, many in stonework and with characteristics of the renowned Coimbra School. Also noteworthy are the panels painted by António Pinto Ferreira, dated 1692, which adorn the gilded carved altarpiece of the Gospel apse. The walls display a variety of tiles, including Hispano-Moresque examples from the 15th and 16th centuries, as well as 17th-century blue monochrome patterns and other tricolor ones, of Lisbon origin, present in the Chapel of Saint Anthony. The Ançã stone pulpit, with its profusely decorated railing, is another element that deserves attention.