Main Church of Caldas da Rainha or Church of Our Lady of the People

Category: Religious Architecture > Church

District: Leiria > Caldas da Rainha > Caldas da Rainha > Encosta do Sol

Foundation and History

Founded by Queen D. Leonor in 1485, the church was authorized by the Pope ten years later.

Completed in 1500, the church was elevated to Mother Church in 1510.

Classification and Importance

Classified as a National Monument since 1910, it is one of the most important heritage sites in Caldas da Rainha.

Architecture and Design

Designed by Master Mateus Fernandes, it combines Gothic elements with pre-Manueline organic forms.

The interior has a single nave with an artisan vault and a chancel with a triumphal arch.

Interior Decoration

17th-century tiles cover the walls of the nave and chancel.

Side altars with baroque gilded carvings and 16th-century tiles.

Octagonal and decorated baptismal font, attributed to Pedro and Filipe Henriques.

Special Elements

Triptych of the Passion of Christ on the triumphal arch, possibly by Cristóvão de Figueiredo.

Stone altarpiece on the main altar with classical columns and a bas-relief of the Eternal Father.

Bell Tower and Facade

Bell tower with a clock, zoomorphic gargoyles, and sculptures of the Angel Gabriel and the Virgin.

Facade with battlements and a portal from the early 16th century, of great sobriety.

Recent Rehabilitation

Conservation and restoration works carried out between 2021 and 2023, including cleaning the building and restoring sculptures and altars.

Reopening on the city's day, May 15, 2023.

Sources: https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Igreja_de_Nossa_Senhora_do_Pópulo

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