Category: Religious Architecture > Church
District: Lisboa > Mafra > Carrascal > Santa Cristina
The Chapel of Santa Cristina stands in the rural tranquility of the Santa Cristina area, in Carrascal, a serene location in the municipality of Mafra. It stands isolated and prominent in the landscape, flanked by cultivated fields and greenhouses, offering visitors an atmosphere of quietude and reflection. Its position offers a glimpse into the region's rural life, far from the hustle and bustle, inviting a moment of pause and appreciation of the surrounding nature.
This small rural hermitage, with its plastered and whitewashed walls, highlighted by a blue stripe on the main facade, reveals an austere and typically rustic beauty, characteristic of the region. Built in the 17th century, possibly at the initiative of the Counts of São Miguel, it underwent significant improvements in the following century and also in the 19th century. Its main facade, oriented northwest, is adorned with a stone portal and a distinctive window. Its two lateral bell towers draw attention, although only one of them houses a bell, dated 1757. On the right side, a welcoming porch, supported by seven columns and with stone benches, invites rest, recalling its past as a stopping point for pilgrims. In the chapel's churchyard, a limestone calvary cross, from 1688, set on steps, completes the architectural ensemble.
Upon crossing the portal, visitors are enveloped by a surprising interior where art and devotion intertwine. The single nave and the deep chancel, separated by a triumphal arch, display walls covered with magnificent 17th-century tiles. These carpet-type tiles, in shades of blue, white, and yellow, create a vibrant pattern that contrasts with the exterior's sobriety. The barrel-vaulted ceiling, both in the nave and the chancel, is adorned with ornamental painting, while in the chancel, the Baroque gilded carved altarpiece stands out, with twisted columns framing a niche with a pyramidal throne. Within it rests a polychrome stone image of Santa Cristina, dating from the 15th or 16th centuries. The temple also houses several oil on wood paintings, some from the 16th and 17th centuries, depicting scenes from the lives of saints, including representations of the martyrdom of Santa Cristina herself. A 17th-century pulpit, with a wooden railing and an ancient inscription about a papal privilege from 1667, adds a touch of history and curiosity.
The Chapel of Santa Cristina is more than a monument; it is a living center of faith and tradition. Dedicated to Santa Cristina, patron saint of animals and fishermen, the chapel and its churchyard are the stage, on July 24th, for the traditional blessing of the livestock, a moment of strong connection between the community and its protector. Throughout the year, the chapel continues to be a pilgrimage site, hosting processions from various localities between late August and September. This secular tradition underscores the chapel's importance in the religious and cultural imagination of the Mafra region, inviting an experience of contact with spiritual heritage and popular customs.
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt
Coordinates DD: 38.999368,-9.263679
Coordinates DMS: 38°59'57.7"N 09°15'49.2"W
Weather Carrascal
On-duty Pharmacy Carrascal
