Church of Saint Lawrence of Mamporcão

Category: Religious Architecture > Church

District: Évora > Estremoz > São Lourenço de Mamporcão

Location:

The Church of São Lourenço is located in the locality of the same name, São Lourenço de Mamporcão, in the municipality of Estremoz. It is situated within the context of a typical Alentejo village, characterized by the tranquility of its surrounding rural environment.

The church is located in a square in the central area of the village, a natural point of reference for visitors to the locality.

Origins and History:

The history of the Church of São Lourenço de Mamporcão dates back to ancient times, although the exact date of its original foundation remains unknown. It is known to have existed as a curacy in the early 16th century.

The building observable today largely resulted from a complete reconstruction that took place in 1534, documented during a visitation of the era. The site where the church stands historically belonged to an estate whose toponym, Mamporcão, has existed since the Middle Ages.

Architectural Aspects:

In its exterior appearance, the church presents a structure with straight, unelaborated lines. The main facade culminates in a simple triangular pediment. On the left side stands the bell tower, where a bell is located, whose manufacturing date points to the early 19th century.

The exterior roofing of the apse seems to have been built later, perhaps in the 17th century. The simplicity of the main body of the church may indicate a 16th-century construction, but the presence of numerous structural alterations over time makes it difficult to distinguish what belongs to the original building from later works.

Interior and Decorative Elements:

The interior of the church is largely unpretentious, contrasting with the chancel, which displays some richer decorative elements characteristic of the 18th century. In this chapel, the Baroque-style altarpiece stands out, dated to the reign of D. João V (1707-1750).

An interesting detail, representative of cultural heritage in rural areas, are the ex-votos found inside. These are a collection of small oil paintings on canvas or copper plate, dated to the 19th century. In the sacristy, a marble lavabo can also be observed, also Baroque but earlier (from the reign of D. Pedro II, 1675-1706), decorated with volutes and an anthropomorphic mask.

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