Category: Religious Architecture > Church
District: Vila Real > Chaves > Outeiro Seco > Bairro de São Bernardino 1
The Church of Nossa Senhora da Azinheira is located in the village of Outeiro Seco, an area belonging to the municipality of Chaves. It is situated on the outskirts of the village, in an urban area where visitors can enjoy a peaceful environment. The entire perimeter of the church is delimited by a granite block walkway, giving it a distinct presence in the surrounding space.
With its roots documented as early as 1235, this church bears witness to centuries of history in the Chaves region. It is recognized as one of the most original late-Romanesque constructions in the area, reflecting how, around the ancient Aquae Flaviae, an architecture with its own characteristics developed towards the turn of the 13th century. Throughout the 14th and 15th centuries, the temple underwent renovations, adapting and growing with the community.
Built of granite, the church features a simple yet robust structure, with an elongated nave and a quadrangular chancel, both covered by a wooden roof. The main facade is distinguished by its portico, which showcases a transition between Romanesque and Gothic styles. The portal has two adorned archivolts, resting on columns with detailed capitals, where vegetal motifs, human figures, and animals can be observed. Throughout the entire building, including the sacristy, one can admire a "corbel table" (or "cachorrada") with various representations such as faces and geometric elements.
Inside, the church surprises with vestiges of mural paintings that once completely covered the walls of the nave and chancel. These paintings narrated stories from the New Testament and the Hagiologion, offering a rich insight into the religious iconography of past centuries. Although some of these artworks have been carefully removed to museums, such as the José de Figueiredo Institute in Lisbon, the Soares dos Reis National Museum in Porto, and the Alberto Sampaio Regional Museum in Guimarães, due to their importance and to ensure their preservation, some elements can still be appreciated on site. Near the main entrance, there is a baptismal font decorated with rosettes. Further on, in the upper part of the nave, two lateral altarpieces, in Rococo style polychrome carving, complement the ambiance, and the triumphal arch displays an inscription from 1767, marking works carried out during that period.
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt
Coordinates DD: 41.76848,-7.450525
Coordinates DMS: 41°46'6.5"N 07°27'1.9"W
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On-duty Pharmacy Outeiro Seco
