Category: Religious Architecture > Church
District: Porto > Penafiel > Boelhe
Nestled in the parish of Boelhe, within the municipality of Penafiel, this church stands on a slightly elevated platform, offering a view over the landscape that embraces the slope of the Tâmega River. Surrounded by a tranquil lawn and a small cobbled churchyard, its isolated position invites a moment of serenity and contemplation of historical heritage.
The Romanesque Church of Boelhe dates back to the 13th century, serving as a remarkable testament to Romanesque architecture in the Sousa Valley. Although its foundation is traditionally linked to royal figures such as Queen Mafalda, its simple layout, with a single nave and rectangular chancel, is characteristic of parish churches of the era. A visit to this site provides direct contact with the essence of Portuguese rural Romanesque.
The church's main portal is one of its most fascinating features. Observe its capitals and imposts, where the originality of Romanesque sculpture is revealed. We will find palmettes crafted with the bevel technique, typical of the region, and engraved ornaments with crosses within circles, motifs that recall very ancient decorative techniques, employed even before the Romanesque era. It is in this profusion of details that the artistic richness of the temple is perceived.
As you walk along the exterior facades, you will notice the corbels that support the cornices. On the north side, in particular, these elements reveal a surprising variety of figures, from animal heads to human representations, illustrating the Romanesque masters' taste for diversity and their desire to impress passers-by.
The church walls hold a peculiar and captivating detail: the so-called mason's marks. These marks, both alphabetic and geometric, are present on the granite ashlar blocks, both on the exterior and interior. They were used by medieval artisans to identify the work they were paid for, offering today a window into the organization of work in the stone workshops of that time and suggesting the mastery of a small team of builders.
The "pure" and unadorned appearance of the Church of Boelhe that we see today is the result of a restoration campaign carried out in the first half of the 20th century. This intervention aimed to restore the temple to its original 13th-century layout, eliminating the alterations and additions that had been made over the centuries. Thanks to this work, it is possible today to appreciate its Romanesque architecture in all its authenticity.
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt
Coordinates DD: 41.1349952,-8.242316
Coordinates DMS: 41°08'6.0"N 08°14'32.3"W