Category: Religious Architecture > Convent
District: Coimbra > Oliveira do Hospital > Vila Pouca da Beira > Insua
The Convento do Desagravo (Convent of Atonement) is situated in the Insua area, in the locality of Vila Pouca da Beira, belonging to the municipality of Oliveira do Hospital. The complex is set in a rural, isolated area that stands out in the landscape. The location offers wide and panoramic views over the Serra da Estrela and Serra do Açor mountain ranges, harmoniously integrating with the natural surroundings. Access to the building is via a path that starts from the center of the village, leading to the courtyard in front of the church.
The history of this convent dates back to the second half of the 18th century. It was founded through a joint initiative of the Chamber, nobility, and people of the village, in a location that already housed a small chapel dedicated to Saint Joseph, indicating a prior religious tradition. The institution was authorized by Royal and Episcopal Provision, and construction was completed around 1800. Shortly thereafter, the first nuns of the Order of Saint Clare arrived to inhabit the female monastery.
Conventual life on the site was relatively short, ending with the extinction of religious orders in 1834, although the last resident nun only passed away later, in 1889. Throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, the building underwent various occupations and alterations, serving different purposes before being subject to recovery and adaptation works at the turn of the 21st century.
The built complex comprises the church, the guesthouse, the conventual dependencies, and the walled enclosures of the estate. The church, built in the 18th century, features a longitudinal plan and an interesting peculiarity: its main portal opens onto the side facade, an architectural solution common in female convents. The facade is marked by pilasters, pinnacles, and segmental arch windows. Attached to the left side of the chancel stands the bell tower, in a rural Baroque style, notable for its bulbous roof and pinnacles at the corners.
Inside the church, the single nave is covered by a false wooden vault. The chancel, recessed and vaulted, houses a main altarpiece in carved wood, in a neoclassical style, with a tribune and throne for the Blessed Sacrament. Laterally, there are two collateral altars, also neoclassical, decorated with white and gold carving. The pulpit is located on one of the side walls, with access from an opening. The choir, where the nuns attended ceremonies, was accessed by a staircase.
The main conventual building has a quadrangular plan organized around a two-story cloister. The lower floor features arcades with thick pillars and vaulted ceilings, currently glazed, while the upper floor displays a straight entablature resting on small columns above a balustrade. The conventual dependencies once included spaces such as a refectory (with a large chimney), kitchens, a chancellery, an infirmary, an apothecary, and dormitories, among others.
Some elements recount the daily history and specific functions of the convent. In the old gatehouse, there was a "roda" (wheel), a revolving mechanism that allowed communication and the exchange of objects between the cloistered nuns and the outside world, without direct visual contact. In the guesthouse area, a separate building connected to the church by a wall and gate, creating an inner courtyard with a rectangular tank, male visitors, such as priests, servants connected to farming, or occasionally the Bishop of Coimbra, were accommodated.
One of the bells in the bell tower bears an inscription and the date 1817, testifying to the period of the convent's construction and consolidation. Throughout the 20th century, the building underwent various renovations, including interventions that gave it architectural characteristics associated with the "Estado Novo" (New State) style, visible on some of its facades.
The complex of the Convento do Desagravo do Santíssimo Sacramento, including the church, the conventual dependencies, and the estate, is recognized for its historical and architectural significance. The site is classified as a Monument of Public Interest, which underscores its importance and ensures its protection as an integral part of Portuguese cultural heritage.
Sources: https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pousada_de_Vila_Pouca_da_Beira
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt
Coordinates DD: 40.30742771079722,-7.9174449836602445
Coordinates DMS: 40°18'26.7"N 07°55'2.8"W
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