Category: Religious Architecture > Church
District: Faro > Tavira > Tavira > Vila Adentro
The Church of Santa Maria do Castelo is located inside the walls of Tavira, in the historic area known as Vila Adentro. Situated on an elevated point of the city, it offers wide views over the traditional buildings, the Gilão River, and part of the Algarvian hills. The surroundings are tranquil, composed of narrow, cobblestone streets, typical of the old center.
This urban setting, marked by medieval and Renaissance remains, contributes to the serene and contemplative atmosphere of the place, ideal for those who appreciate strolls through historic centers with a strong heritage identity.
Built in the 13th century, the church was erected on the site of an old mosque, after the conquest of Tavira from the Moors by the Order of Santiago. The initiative would have come from D. Paio Peres Correia, master of the order, around 1242. This religious substitution reflects the context of the Reconquista, symbolically marking the city's integration into the Portuguese crown.
Over the centuries, the building underwent various building campaigns, being particularly affected by the 1755 earthquake, which led to its almost total reconstruction in the late 18th century, under the guidance of Bishop D. Francisco Gomes do Avelar.
Despite the alterations, the church preserves a highly valuable Gothic portal, with four pointed arch archivolts and capitals decorated with plant motifs. This portal dates from the late 14th or early 15th century and is one of the few original elements preserved.
Inside, the sober proportions of the nave and the vestiges of distinct construction phases stand out. The current decoration results from the nineteenth-century neoclassical reinterpretation, with emphasis on the altarpiece painted in trompe l’oeil, attributed to the artist Joaquim José Rasquinho, who used visual effects to create the illusion of depth and architectural richness.
One of the most notable side chapels is the Chapel of Senhor dos Passos, in Manueline style, dating from the second decade of the 16th century. Its multi-ribbed vault features bosses with heraldic elements and curious decorations, such as confronted dragons and a belt with a buckle, elements that reveal both the symbolism and the artistic taste of the era.
Also noteworthy is the Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament, which housed part of the Eucharistic worship after the reorganization of the main altar. These changes reflect the successive liturgical and aesthetic adaptations over time.
According to local tradition, D. Paio Peres Correia and seven Christian knights who died in ambushes during the conquest of the city are buried inside the church. A gravestone near the high altar explicitly refers to the transfer of the remains in 1751, consolidating the site as a space of historical and symbolic memory.
The church was classified as a National Monument in 1910, a recognition that reinforces its patrimonial value, not only as a religious building but also as a material testament to the history of Tavira.
During restoration works carried out in 2021, hidden elements of the old main altarpiece came to light, such as murals and a stepped pedestal that integrated a central tribune. The paintings, with plant motifs and Eucharistic symbols, were interpreted as part of an original project that was eventually altered, possibly with the arrival of the image of Our Lady of the Assumption.
These findings help to better understand the evolution of the liturgical space and the artistic richness of the church, which combines Gothic, Manueline, and nineteenth-century elements, in a continuous testament to transformation and preservation.
Sources: https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Igreja_de_Santa_Maria_do_Castelo_(Tavira)
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt
Coordinates DD: 37.125181178194275,-7.651895720184948
Coordinates DMS: 37°07'30.7"N 07°39'6.8"W
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