Chapel of Arraiolos

Category: Religious Architecture > Chapel

District: Évora > Arraiolos > Arraiolos

Location

The Chapel of Arraiolos, officially the Church of Santa Casa da Misericórdia, is located in the historic centre of the Alentejo village, next to the Largo da Misericórdia (Mercy Square) which gives it its popular name.

Situated in a traditional urban setting, the building stands on a small cobbled churchyard, accessed by a few steps, which precedes its main portal. Although flanked by other buildings in the village's urban fabric, its south-facing façade and the bell tower to the west maintain its visibility and prominence within the ensemble.

Origins and Evolution

The history of this temple begins in the 16th century, more precisely in 1524, with the establishment of the Brotherhood of Santa Casa da Misericórdia of Arraiolos. The construction of the current building began in the last decades of the same century, with the significant support of the House of Braganza.

Throughout the following centuries, the church underwent several construction campaigns and enrichments, which shaped its final appearance. This evolution resulted in an architecture that combines elements from different periods, namely Mannerism in its initial design, and Baroque in its later decorations and alterations.

Architectural Features

The main façade of the church, painted white with a light blue plinth, displays a sober composition with striking details. The entrance portal has a straight lintel, framed by pilasters, and is topped by a tombstone and a triangular pediment in stonework.

A particular feature of the façade is the presence of a slightly recessed gable that rises above the original triangular pediment, decorated with stucco elements, showcasing the distinct phases of its construction. On the west side, a bell tower with full-arch openings, also marked in blue, completes the exterior silhouette.

The Richness of the Azulejos

The interior of the church offers a remarkable atmosphere, dominated by the extensive and colourful application of azulejos on the walls of the nave and transept. These late-Baroque coverings, dated 1753, are one of the building's main highlights.

The panels represent the "Works of Mercy", interspersed with wainscoting decorated with floral motifs, vases of flowers (the famous albarradas) and figures of angels and dolphins. A skirting board with friezes of phytomorphic motifs in manganese purple and cobalt blue delineates the base of the azulejo decoration.

Art and Interior Decoration

Beyond the azulejos, the interior houses other elements of great artistic and historical value. In the chancel, attention is drawn to the main altarpiece, an imposing structure in gilded woodcarving, of late Baroque style, which occupies the entire back wall.

In the transept, painted panels that constituted the old 16th-century main altarpiece can be observed. Attributed to the painter André Peres, these paintings depict scenes such as the Adoration of the Shepherds, the Circumcision, the Visitation, the Mater Omnium, and the Lamentation of the Dead Christ, pieces that were cleverly reused in the current configuration of the space.

Other details such as the circular marble pulpit and the choir stalls of the Mesários, which reflect the organization of the Brotherhood, contribute to the richness and historical interest of this sacred space in Arraiolos. On the floor, near the entrance, armorial tombstones commemorate important figures linked to the Misericórdia throughout time.

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