Parish Church of Saint Martin

Category: Religious Architecture > Church

District: Porto > Penafiel > Penafiel > Milhundos

Location

The Parish Church of São Martinho stands in the parish of Milhundos, in the locality of Penafiel, municipality of Penafiel. It is located in the heart of the city's historic center, nestled within a block bordered by old streets such as Rua Direita, Rua do Sacramento, Travessa da Matriz, and Escadas da Matriz. Its main facade, facing northeast, opens onto a small square on the narrow Rua Direita, with access facilitated by a seven-step staircase that invites exploration. Its central position makes it a natural landmark in Penafiel's oldest urban fabric.

Architecture and Style Through the Centuries

Recognized as a National Monument, the Church of São Martinho presents a fascinating fusion of styles, a result of its long constructive history. Its foundation dates back to the 16th century, with a predominance of Renaissance aesthetics, but it also incorporates late-Gothic, Mannerist, and late-Baroque elements. On the exterior, the visible granite ashlar stonework stands out, lending robustness to the building. The main facade, with its Mannerist character, is marked by a perfect arch portal, flanked by Ionic columns, and an upper rectangular niche that once housed a mural painting of the patron saint, Saint Martin, sharing his cloak with the beggar. The lateral bell tower complements the ensemble with its double openings.

To the left of the church, attached, is the Chapel of Senhor dos Passos, which is a vestige of the primitive Chapel of the Holy Spirit, of medieval origin. This chapel still retains its late-Gothic character, visible in the decorative battlements on the exterior, the gargoyles on the corners, and, inside, in its star-ribbed vault, which denotes its antiquity and the transition to the Manueline style in the first decade of the 16th century.

Artistic Richness of the Interior

Upon entering, visitors are greeted by a space with three stepped naves, supported by Tuscan-Ionic columns, under false lowered barrel vaults, adorned with decorative stuccoes. The interior walls, painted white, are adorned in their lower part by tile panels with a geometric pattern in shades of blue and white, adding a touch of color and tradition. Natural light entering through the windows highlights the beauty of the various altarpieces adorning the interior.

The choir loft, with its imposing late-Baroque organ, and the quadrangular pulpits, with their gilded and white carved railings, enrich the atmosphere. The main altarpiece of the chancel, of Rococo carving, impresses with its concave plan and its axes defined by richly decorated columns. Inside, particular attention should also be paid to the Chapel of Senhor dos Passos, where the 16th-century tomb slab of the merchant João Correia, founder and patron of this chapel, is located, a remarkable piece with his image engraved on a Flemish-type bronze plate, and funerary inscriptions dating back centuries.

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