Category: Religious Architecture > Church
District: Vila Real > Mesão Frio > Mesão Frio > Vila Verde
Situated in the Vila Verde area, in the municipality of Mesão Frio, the Old Chapel of S. Domingos stands isolated atop a predominantly rocky hill, at an altitude of about 730 meters. This privileged location, in the heart of the Alto Douro Wine Region, offers a spectacular panoramic view of the surrounding landscape.
Its churchyard, surrounded by a wall, functions as a vast natural viewpoint. From here, the gaze reaches wide horizons, encompassing the Douro Valley and the lands extending across several parishes in the region. Access to the chapel is via a large four-flight staircase, which guides the ascent to this elevated point.
The history of the Chapel of S. Domingos delves into deep roots, being connected to a granite outcrop that, since remote times, was considered a "propitiatory stone," associated with fertility. Local tradition points to the existence of an ancient Roman temple dedicated to a goddess of fertility in this very place, which was later replaced by the Christian cult of Saint Dominic, from the 10th century onwards.
The chapel's fame as a place of blessings and intercession for obtaining offspring attracted, over the centuries, figures of great prominence, including Portuguese royalty. In 1476, for example, D. Afonso V visited the site with his second wife to ask for a male heir. Later, in 1481, D. João II and D. Leonor also implored here for a successor, returning in 1483 with the crown prince D. Afonso in thanksgiving. These royal visits, which attest to the importance of the place, were the driving force behind the various construction and remodeling campaigns that shaped the temple over time.
The Old Chapel of S. Domingos is a true testament to its long existence, displaying a rich superposition of architectural styles encompassing Romanesque, Gothic, Manueline, and Mannerist. Its granite masonry structure features facades topped by cornices resting on corbels, some of them decorated with vegetal and geometric motifs, characteristic features of its Romanesque foundation.
The main portal, with its pointed arch, is one of the most notable elements, standing out for its Manueline ornamentation, with several archivolts adorned with vegetal motifs and a national shield. Inside, the chapel is organized into three naves, defined by Tuscan columns, and has a homogeneous wooden ceiling. The triumphal arch preceding the chancel is also richly decorated with rosettes and foliage. It is interesting to note that part of the chapel's structure rests directly on the original rocky outcrop, visible on its right side facade, connecting the building to the nature that surrounds it.
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt
Coordinates DD: 41.160037,-7.8890518
Coordinates DMS: 41°09'36.1"N 07°53'20.6"W
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