Category: Religious Architecture > Church
District: Portalegre > Sousel > Sousel > Rua Manuel Pires Antigo
This remarkable architectural complex is located in the town of Sousel, in the heart of Alentejo, occupying a central position in the urban fabric. Its main facade opens onto a cobbled square, giving it a prominent presence and integrating it into the village environment. The surrounding area, characterized by the Alentejo plain, offers a serene and typically rural context.
The building is situated on Rua Manuel Pires Antigo, a street that allows for a perspective of its dimensions and its different volumes, contributing to the experience of discovering this site of historical and social significance.
The Church and Hospital of the Santa Casa da Misericórdia of Sousel bear witness to centuries of history, with their probable origin dating back to the 16th century. However, their current appearance is largely the result of significant renovation works carried out in the 18th and early 19th centuries. This building has always been a pillar of the community, serving not only as a place of religious worship but also as a center for assistance and charity, a function inherent to the Holy Houses of Mercy in Portugal.
Currently, the complex maintains its social aspect, housing a nursing home and a day care center, continuing to fulfill its role of support and welcome, adapting to the contemporary needs of the population.
The architecture of the complex reflects a transition between Baroque and Neoclassical styles, evident in its distinct features. The main facade, dating from the early 18th century, is a beautiful example of the Baroque style, with a portal distinguished by its marble frame and the Misericórdia coat of arms, ornamented with volutes and pinnacles.
Beside the church stands a unique bell tower with a bulbous dome that enhances the building's Baroque profile and adds a scenic element to Sousel's urban landscape. The predominant use of rendered masonry, highlighted by marble elements such as quoins, moldings, and arches, confers dignity and solidity to the complex.
Upon entering the church, visitors are immediately enveloped by the richness of its interior. The single nave is covered by an impressive blue and white tile wainscoting, produced in the first half of the 18th century, illustrating scenes from the Old Testament and figures of Prophets, offering an authentic gallery of ceramic art. The circular marble pulpit, with its balusters, is another Baroque element worth noting.
The chancel, deeper and elevated, houses a main altarpiece in gilded carving of Baroque style, sumptuously decorated with Solomonic columns, vegetal elements, putti, and atlantes. In its niche, a four-tiered Eucharistic throne in gilded carving is revealed, a detail of great artistic value. The lateral altars, later, from the late 18th and early 19th centuries, feature Neoclassical decoration with a distinct blue background, which gives them a popular and welcoming character.
In addition to the elements already described, the building holds details that tell stories. In the old hospital, a curious discoid funerary stele stands out, possibly from the 16th century, embedded in the side facade. This vestige, which seems to represent part of a house, is an enigmatic element that invites careful observation.
Inside, the former chapter house, on the ground floor of the hospital, reveals a ceiling decorated with stucco reliefs, including medallions with vegetal elements and the Misericórdia coat of arms. On the walls of this room, canvases depicting passages from the Passion of Christ and an image of Nossa Senhora da Misericórdia can be observed, complementing the spiritual and historical ambiance of the place.
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt
Coordinates DD: 38.952322,-7.6756733
Coordinates DMS: 38°57'8.4"N 07°40'32.4"W
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