Parish Church of Bárrio / Church of Saint Gregory the Great

Category: Religious Architecture > Church

District: Leiria > Alcobaça > Bárrio > Vale da Pereira

Location

The Parish Church of Bárrio, dedicated to Saint Gregory the Great, is located in the village of Bárrio, municipality of Alcobaça, within the Vale da Pereira area. Its position is prominent in the urban environment of the village, isolated in a wide, walled, and paved churchyard, offering a serene space around the building. On the right side, adjacent to the church, is the Parish Centre, complementing this religious nucleus of the community.

A Point in Local Chronology

The construction of the Parish Church of Bárrio dates back to the 20th century, marking a significant period for the parish. Its construction accompanied the autonomization of Bárrio, which disannexed from the parish of Cela in 1933. This fact underlines the church's importance as a symbol of the identity and consolidation of this community. Bárrio has, in its history, an ancestral connection to the vast domains of the Alcobaça Monastery, having been one of its granges.

Architecture and Exterior Aspect

The religious building of São Gregório Magno reveals an architecture characteristic of the 20th century. Its plan is longitudinal, comprising a main nave, the chancel, a sacristy, and a bell tower that rises attached to the left side. The facades are plastered and painted white, giving it a luminous and simple presence, highlighted by cornices and eaves that finish the different sections. The main facade, oriented to the east, invites the eye with its galilee, a porch open by three perfect round arches, the central one being higher and wider. Above these arches, a set of tall slits and a niche, decorated with volutes at its base, guard the image of the patron saint. The tiled roofs vary in inclination, contributing to the distinct volumetry and profile of the ensemble.

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