Parish Church of Romarigães

Category: Religious Architecture > Church

District: Viana do Castelo > Paredes de Coura > Romarigães > Castro

Location

The Parish Church of Romarigães, in the municipality of Paredes de Coura, is located in a quiet, rural area, in the locality of Romarigães, near the area known as Castro. Rising above the landscape, it is flanked by trees, next to the main road. A walled and flagstoned churchyard surrounds the building, giving it a solid and serene presence in the rural setting of Alto Minho.

A Romanesque Legacy

This church is a valuable testament to Portuguese Romanesque architecture, with its origins dating back to the late 13th century. It represents the second phase of Romanesque architecture in the country and a particular style of the Alto Minho region, being part of the group of Romanesque temples in the Minho river basin. Throughout the 16th century, its original structure underwent some interventions, which modified its spatial organization, creating the perception of a transept between the nave and the chancel. However, the chancel maintained its quadrangular shape and primitive decorative elements, such as some corbels and narrow windows, where an interesting reuse of old pieces and the introduction of new ones can be observed, resulting in distinct patterns on the cornice.

Sculptural Details

One of the most striking aspects of the temple is its main portal. Here, the highlight goes to the central columns which display a representation of the Annunciation. Although the sculpture does not seek great volume, its iconographic value is remarkable, revealing an advancement and popular appreciation for the art of the time. The capitals crowning the columns feature rich decoration, where vegetal motifs intertwine with zoomorphic figures. In the tympanum, one can observe a representation of Christ in Mandorla, which is a recreation of an earlier tympanum. The corbels supporting the cornice are also elements of great interest, displaying human and animalistic figures, characteristic of the 12th-century Romanesque style in the Alto Minho region, with particular relevance to those located on the south side of the chancel.

Ancient and Artistic Testimonies

Inside the church, light filtered through narrow windows reveals traces of fresco painting on the walls. These paintings, from different periods and partially overlapping, offer a rare glimpse into the temple's original pictorial decoration. Outside, archaeological excavations carried out near the church's south facade brought ancient tombs to light. The discovery that some of these tombs incorporate stones that were reused from the building's own foundations, including elements of Roman origin, underlines the profound antiquity and historical continuity of this place of worship and burial.

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