Category: Religious Architecture > Church
District: Santarém > Santarém > Santarém > Alfange
The Church of Misericórdia is located in the Alfange area, in the heart of the city of Santarém. Its position within the urban fabric allows for easy discovery for those exploring the historic center, offering a glimpse into local history while wandering its streets.
This temple, also known as the Church of Nossa Senhora da Visitação, originated in 1500, initiated by Frei Martinho de Santarém, following the model of the Misericórdia of Lisbon. The institution quickly gained royal support from D. Manuel I, which boosted its work. The construction of the church, which would become the headquarters of the Santa Casa da Misericórdia of Santarém, began in the mid-16th century, with a significant role played by Queen D. Catarina. Its importance was nationally recognized, being classified as a National Monument in 1922.
The church's architectural project, dated 1559, was signed by Miguel Arruda, one of the most notable royal architects of the era. The building represents a fascinating transition of styles, combining Renaissance classicism with Mannerist elegance, and later incorporating Rococo elements, especially visible in the façade rebuilt after the 1755 earthquake. The late Baroque style façade features a prominent portico and a niche housing an image of the Virgin. Also observable, on one of the adjacent corners, is a Renaissance-style porch balcony, and on the access portal to the courtyard, Manueline symbols such as the armillary sphere and the Cross of Christ.
The church's interior reveals itself as a "hall church," with its three naves of equal height, separated by Tuscan columns and covered by a barrel vault with cross ribs. The columns are adorned with polychrome paintings. The choir loft, supported by the masonry arches of the nave's first bay, features a wooden balustrade. The nave walls house various canvases, including representations such as "The Rest on the Flight into Egypt" and "Pentecost." At the end of each nave, there is an altar with carved altarpieces, the lateral ones in Rococo style and the main altar neoclassical, where a circular canvas, attributed to Simão Rodrigues, depicts the "Descent from the Cross."
The sacristy surprises with a barrel vault adorned with painted ornaments from the early 18th century. Notable are two 18th-century polychrome wooden bas-reliefs, depicting the "Annunciation" and the "Adoration of the Shepherds." The altarpiece in this area is neoclassical, with shades of green and gold. In the Chapter House (Salão do Definitório), an attention-grabbing wainscot of 18th-century blue and white tiles illustrates the Works of Mercy, such as "burying the dead" or "caring for the sick," offering a visual perspective on the institution's social service throughout the centuries.
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt
Coordinates DD: 39.2348087,-8.6826516
Coordinates DMS: 39°14'5.3"N 08°40'57.5"W
Weather Santarém
On-duty Pharmacy Santarém
