Church of Our Lady of Piety

Category: Religious Architecture > Church

District: Madeira > Porto Santo > Vila Baleira > Matas

Location

The Church of Nossa Senhora da Piedade is located in the central area of Vila Baleira, the main town of Porto Santo. It is situated next to Largo do Pelourinho, in a residential and easily accessible area within the "city".

The churchyard preceding the church is walled and fenced, featuring a rolled pebble pavement with geometric designs formed by contrasting white and black stones, as well as landscaped areas that make up the surrounding space.

History of the Mother Church

The history of this temple dates back to the 15th century, serving as the island's parish church since 1500. Over the centuries, it suffered from pirate attacks, having been plundered and almost entirely destroyed in 1566 by the French. Other assaults by Algerians and the English damaged the building at different times.

Due to these events, the church underwent various reconstructions and modifications. The most significant campaign of works, which led to its current form, began in 1667 after a devastating fire. Thus, although its foundation dates to the 16th century, the structure we see today results from centuries of history and rebuildings.

Exterior and Architecture

It features a design that combines Mannerist and Baroque elements, with some Rococo touches visible in the interior. The exterior is relatively simple, composed of two rectangular bodies corresponding to the nave and the chancel. The main facade, oriented to the west, is topped by a gable with a cross made of local stonework.

The square-plan bell tower stands out, with cornerstones (cunhais) made of contrasting colored stonework, such as Porto Santo stonework at the base and red Cabo Girão stonework at the top. It is topped by pinnacles, a truncated pyramidal roof with a weather vane, and features clocks on each of the four faces of the cornice.

Treasures in the Interior

The church's interior is spacious and has a single nave, covered by a wooden ceiling. Despite the reconstructions, it still preserves traces of the original 15th-century construction, particularly in the Capela da Morgada (Morgada Chapel), where some 15th-century Gothic architectural elements are found.

The chancel features a curved wooden ceiling decorated with colorful rocaille paintings, depicting geometric and vegetal motifs. The main altarpiece, made of painted and gilded carving, is a rocaille-style piece from the late 18th century. In the center of this altarpiece is a painting representing the biblical episode Noli me tangere (Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene), a 17th-century work attributed to the painter Martim Conrado.

Art and Decorative Elements

In addition to the main altarpiece, there are other side and collateral altars with rich decoration. The side altarpieces date from the 17th century, notable for their gilded and polychrome carved structures and the canvases that fill them, including 16th-century works. In the Capela do Santíssimo (Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament), there is an oil-on-canvas painting by Martim Conrado, signed in 1653, also depicting the Noli me tangere.

In the Capela da Morgada, one can observe a 16th-century image of Nossa Senhora da Conceição (Our Lady of the Conception), traditionally known as Nossa Senhora da Expectação (Our Lady of Expectation), a gilded, polychrome, upholstered wooden sculpture of Flemish workshop. Another notable ensemble is the sculptural representation of the "Last Supper," executed in wood in the 17th century.

At various points in the interior, there is a diverse collection of paintings, sculptures, and goldsmith work from the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries. Also noteworthy is the presence of 17th-century polychrome patterned tiles on the tower's spire, recovered and reinstalled in 1899, and a more recent tile panel on the exterior depicting the Pietà.

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