Category: Religious Architecture > Church
District: Leiria > Batalha > Brancas > Mouratos
The Hermitage of Our Lady of Conception stands in the locality of Brancas, part of the Mouratos area, in the municipality of Batalha. It is conveniently located near National Road 362, which facilitates access for those seeking it. Its position offers an environment of serenity, nestled within the local landscape.
This hermitage boasts a history spanning the 16th and 17th centuries, the period in which it was built. It is probable that its construction replaced an older structure, thereby maintaining historical continuity on the site. Records from the mid-17th century, around 1650, already described the chapel as possessing a remarkable half-orange vault and a pleasant porch, elements that conferred a distinctive character to the building in its origin.
With a longitudinal plan, the hermitage features a single nave, a chancel, and a sacristy, oriented to the west. Its façade is marked by an angular gable, topped by a stone cross, and delineated by ashlar quoins. At its center, a portal with a two-scroll pediment is flanked by two grated windows, which invite the gaze to explore its interior.
Inside, the single nave space reveals a flagstone floor and a wooden ceiling, divided into three planes, which contributes to a particular atmosphere. Natural light penetrates through a lantern, an oculus, and windows in the chancel and the nave itself. A notable detail are the shallow tombs, with their carved legends and motifs, located near the chancel and along the nave, silent testimonies of past eras.
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt
Coordinates DD: 39.6462867,-8.8182265
Coordinates DMS: 39°38'46.6"N 08°49'5.6"W
Weather Brancas
On-duty Pharmacy Brancas
