Church of Our Lady of the Conception of Oliveira

Category: Religious Architecture > Church

District: Setúbal > Santiago do Cacém > Alvalade > Centro

Location

The Church of Our Lady of the Conception of Oliveira rises majestically in the heart of Alvalade, a locality within the municipality of Santiago do Cacém. It stands isolated and prominent, positioned in a walled and landscaped churchyard, contiguous to a square. This central location makes the church a landmark and a prominent visual element in the town's urban landscape.

The Mark of Centuries

The initial construction of the church dates back to the early 16th century, revealing traces of Manueline architecture, a style that profoundly marked its structure. Over the centuries, the building underwent interventions and additions, incorporating elements from different periods. It is possible to observe the superposition and harmony between the original Manueline inclination and the Baroque and Neo-Gothic influences that were later introduced, giving it a unique architectural identity in the region.

An Exterior with History

On the exterior, the church stands out for its main facade, crowned by a wrought-iron cross. Its ogival portal in stonework, with slender colonettes and decorated capitals, is an invitation to observation. Above the portal, a gravestone displays the cross of Santiago da Espada, framed by scallop shells and pilgrim staffs, symbols that refer to ancient traditions. The bell tower, rising in the southwest corner, features two distinct registers and is topped by a dome with a weathercock. On its south facade, an interesting sundial in stonework with Arabic numerals also stands out, transporting us to bygone times.

Artistic Richness of the Interior

The church's interior reveals a remarkable artistic and constructive heritage. The chancel is one of its most interesting features, being semi-octagonal at the head, a rare typology in Lower Alentejo. The rib vaulting of the chancel and one of the side chapels is of high quality, displaying corbels and keystones in stonework with elaborate vegetal decoration. The main altarpiece, in gilded and polychrome carving, is an example of the national style, incorporating a large canvas depicting "Our Lady of the Conception", by the painter Bento Coelho da Silveira. The altarpieces of the side chapels, in turn, demonstrate the influence of the popularized Neoclassical style.

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