Chapel of Our Lady of Mercy

Category: Religious Architecture > Chapel

District: Évora > Évora > São Manços e São Vicente do Pigeiro > Herdadinha

Location

The Chapel of Our Lady of Piety is located in the rural tranquility of Herdadinha, an area belonging to the parish of São Manços and São Vicente do Pigeiro, in the municipality of Évora. It is situated on a plain, with a slight incline, near the Ribeira do Pigeiro, harmoniously integrating into the isolated and characteristic landscape of the Alentejo.

A Historical Testimony

This chapel is a remarkable testament to the region's religious and residential architecture, with roots dating back to the 13th to 16th centuries. Its history is intimately linked to the Herdade da Abegoaria, of which it is a part, a rural complex that once belonged to the vast land patrimony of the Chapter of Évora Cathedral. Subsequently, in 1462, it was donated to the Espinheiro Convent. The importance of this historical-architectural complex is officially recognized, being classified as a Property of Public Interest.

Architecture and Details

The Chapel of Our Lady of Piety is presented in the typical regional style of the Évora area, with a simple and clean façade, topped by a triangular pediment that includes a circular lunette. The interior of the nave features a barrel vaulted ceiling and a gabled roof.

One of the most interesting aspects is that its sacristy corresponds to the primitive Gothic hermitage that existed on the site, revealing the layers of history in its construction. This ancient hermitage, with a rectangular plan, is covered by two bays of Gothic vaulting, with granite bosses displaying Manueline heraldry and corbels also in granite, decorated with rope motifs. The simple porticos, windows, and other details in granite stonework are striking elements that extend throughout the Monte da Abegoaria complex, where the chapel is located.

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