Ourém Parish Church

Category: Religious Architecture > Church

District: Santarém > Ourém > Ourém > Antiga Vila de Ourém

Location

The Parish Church of Ourém, also known as the Church of Our Lady of Mercies, is located in the Old Village of Ourém. Situated on an elevated platform, the church stands out in the urban landscape and is intimately linked to the historical layout of the locality, with one of its flanks adjoined to the remnants of the old village wall.

A Story of Resilience

The history of the Parish Church of Ourém, also designated as the Church of Our Lady of Mercies, begins in the 15th century. It was then that D. Afonso, the first Marquis of Valença and Count of Ourém, obtained authorization to transform the Mother Church into a Collegiate Church, grouping several parishes under its jurisdiction. However, the building did not remain unscathed over the centuries; the 1755 earthquake caused considerable destruction, with only the chancel and the remarkable original crypt surviving. The church we observe today is largely the result of extensive reconstruction that took place between 1758 and 1770, giving it its predominant Pombaline character. Later, in the early 19th century, the church and its tomb were desecrated during the French invasions but were subsequently recovered, testifying to their continued importance for the community.

The Façade and the Pombaline Style

The exterior appearance of the Parish Church of Ourém predominantly reflects the 18th-century reconstruction. The main façade, facing a wide square, features a structure characterized by its sobriety and symmetry, typical elements of the Pombaline style. Notable features include the modestly sized bell towers flanking the central body, the three-arched portico (galilee) inviting entry, and the triangular pediment crowning the ensemble, giving it a distinct presence in the old village's panorama.

The Ancient Heart: Crypt, Tomb, and Relics

It is inside the Church of Our Lady of Mercies that its oldest elements, of profound historical and artistic value, are revealed. Beneath the chancel, accessible via a side staircase, lies the remarkable 15th-century crypt. This unique space, with a quadrangular plan, is divided into three naves and three bays, supported by six columns with smooth shafts. The groined vault rests on corbels decorated with volutes and ovoli, and the capitals, of an inverted pyramidal shape, display varied vegetal and geometric decoration. An acoustic detail, with clay jars arranged in a particular way, gives it an unusual characteristic, pointed out by historians as a possible indication of architectural influences from North Africa.

In the central nave, on a plinth, stands the monumental tomb chest of the Marquis of Valença. This imposing piece, sculpted in Ançã stone at the end of the 15th century, displays on its lid the recumbent effigy of D. Afonso, with his hands clasped in prayer and his head resting on meticulously carved lace-patterned pillows. The front panels of the chest are rich in finely carved vegetal ornamentation and display the Marquis's coats of arms. A tomb inscription in Gothic characters narrates the identity and deeds of the church's founder, who was reinterred here. Its creation is attributed to the renowned workshops of Mondego, and it is frequently associated with the work of master sculptor Diogo Pires the Elder, showing the transitions between late Gothic and the first Manueline influences.

In the church treasury, two pieces of goldsmithery of great devotion are also kept: the relic of the skull of Saint Teresa of Ourém and a reliquary with the Marquis of Valença's affixed arms, offered by him to the Collegiate Church.

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