Category: Religious Architecture > Church
District: Faro > Loulé > Quarteira
The Chapel of Nossa Senhora da Conceição is situated in the heart of the city of Loulé, at a point of great historical value. It stands at the beginning of Rua D. Paio Peres Correia, an area that was once part of Largo do Carmo. Its position is unique, as it was built next to the ancient medieval wall of the town, over the structures of what would have been the Porta de Portugal, one of the historic accesses to the city.
This special location offers a direct connection to Loulé's defensive and urban past, allowing for an observation of the fusion between religious architecture and the vestiges of the ancient fortification.
The construction of this chapel dates back to the mid-17th century, a period of great significance for Portugal. Its construction followed a decree by D. João IV, who in 1646 consecrated Nossa Senhora da Conceição as the patron saint of the Kingdom. The king ordered that chapels under this invocation be erected next to the gates of towns and cities, which explains the choice of location for this chapel in Loulé.
A plaque on the front of the sacristy, dated 1656, marks this royal consecration, evidencing the chapel's role as a living monument to Marian devotion and the patriotism of the time. Over the years, particularly in the 1740s and the 19th century, the chapel underwent renovations that enriched its artistic expression.
Although the exterior of the Chapel of Nossa Senhora da Conceição presents sober lines and stonework, an uncommon characteristic in the Algarve, its interior reveals a striking contrast, being a true "total work" of Joanine Baroque. The walls of the nave are completely covered with sumptuous blue and white tile panels.
These tiles, with figurative compositions, illustrate scenes from the life of the Virgin Mary, organized chronologically clockwise and accompanied by inscriptions in Latin. The main altarpiece, of great decorative exuberance, is a central piece in gilded and polychrome carved wood, dated 1743 and attributed to the carver Miguel Nobre, with gilding by the Loulé painter Rodrigo Correia Pincho. Also noteworthy is the pulpit, which, although later, incorporates a carved guard with traces of silver leaf. On the ceiling, a central canvas, attributed to the local painter Joaquim José Rasquinho, depicts the Assumption of the Virgin, completing the artistic richness of the space.
The recent restoration works, carried out between 2007 and 2008, brought to light fascinating archaeological discoveries that deepen the history of the chapel and the site. Under the nave's flooring, the remains of the old Porta de Portugal were found and made visible through glass panels, part of the medieval and Islamic defensive structure of the city of Loulé. This feature allows one to literally walk over the city's history.
Additionally, excavations revealed six oval-shaped burials, dating from the early days of the hermitage (17th-18th centuries), with bodies buried according to Christian ritual, some containing objects such as a rosary. These discoveries offer a unique perspective on the funerary practices and life in ancient Loulé, connecting the present to the more remote past.
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt
Coordinates DD: 37.0676376,-8.1101213
Coordinates DMS: 37°04'3.5"N 08°06'36.4"W
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