Machico Main Church

Category: Religious Architecture > Church

District: Madeira > Machico > Machico > Banda de Além

Location:

The Igreja Matriz (Main Church) of Machico is located in the area locally known as Banda de Além, integrated into the urban fabric of the town. It is situated in a central and accessible area, an integral part of Machico's historical layout.

History and Origins

The origins of the Igreja Matriz of Machico date back to the 15th century, stemming from an initial chapel, the Chapel of the Magi (Capela dos Reis Magos). This chapel was an initiative of Branca Teixeira, daughter of the first colonizer of the area, Tristão Vaz Teixeira.

In the second half of the 15th century, this temple was expanded and transformed into Machico's main church, consecrated to Our Lady of the Conception (Nossa Senhora da Conceição). Throughout the 17th and 18th centuries, the church underwent various important restoration works, which nevertheless preserved its original medieval structure.

Due to its historical and cultural value, the Igreja Matriz of Machico is classified as a Property of Public Interest.

Exterior Architecture

On the exterior, the church stands out for its main facade, marked by an elegant Gothic portal. Crafted from basalt, it features five pointed arches (ogival archivolts), supported by capitals decorated with naturalistic motifs and small columns resting on ornamented pedestals.

Above this main portal, a finely crafted rose window, with intertwining petals, adds a distinctive element. On the south facade, there is a second portal, with a similar basic structure but with slightly different details, including twin pointed arches resting on white marble columns with Corinthian-style capitals.

Interior and Artistic Heritage

Upon entering, visitors find a single nave, covered by a coffered ceiling decorated with symbols. Along the nave, there are several side chapels, some of which were sponsored by local families over time.

Of particular note is the Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament (Capela do Santíssimo Sacramento), with its graceful ribbed vault and 17th-century paintings. In another chapel, dedicated to St. John the Baptist (S. João Baptista) and linked to Machico's first administrators, elements of the original stone construction and a coat of arms can still be observed.

The deeper chancel area is covered by a vault painted with vegetal motifs and a central medallion. The sides feature an interesting choir stalls (set of choir seats) and an upper tribune. At the back, an imposing Mannerist altarpiece fills the space, with its columns, niches with figures of saints, and a central painted panel depicting the Glorification of the Virgin.

It is important to know that this church once housed highly valuable pieces, such as a painted panel from the Antwerp School and an expressive sculpture of the Virgin and Child, which were donated by King D. Manuel I. Although these works and some marble and metal elements donated by the same king are currently in the Museum of Sacred Art of Funchal, their original presence underlines the historical relevance and royal patronage that the Igreja Matriz of Machico benefited from.

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