Category: Religious Architecture > Church
District: Vila Real > Vila Real > Andrães > Vale de Andrães
Situated in the Andrães Valley, this church rises on a serene hillside, offering a unique perspective on the rural Trás-os-Montes landscape. Located near the Corgo River and the stunning Douro Demarcated Region, the church stands isolated in a rectangular churchyard. This outdoor space, carefully paved and delimited by a granite wall, creates a tranquil and inviting environment, flanked by the parish residence and the local cemetery.
The Church of Saint James in Andrães is a true book of architectural history, with its deep roots in the late Romanesque period, between the 13th and 14th centuries. Over the centuries, the building has undergone multiple transformations, resulting in an interesting fusion of styles that narrate its evolution. The original structure, visible in the ashlar walls, contrasts with the 19th-century main facade, which incorporates a circular oculus and a rectangular door. Elements such as the imposing bell tower and the sacristy, the latter recorded as built in 1713, are testaments to later additions that modified the church's initial appearance, enriching its profile over time.
Upon crossing the portal, visitors are welcomed by an interior where art and devotion intertwine. The nave, with its wooden floor and exposed ashlar walls, stands out for its three-paneled wooden ceilings, adorned with carved rosettes and polychrome paintings depicting the Evangelists, Saint Peter, and Saint Paul. The chancel, also covered by two-paneled wooden ceilings, houses a white-background polychrome carved altarpiece, which includes a central throne between marble-like columns.
One of the most notable aspects are the 16th-century mural paintings, some of them attributed to the painter Arnao, which reveal fragments of rich iconography, including vestiges of the figure of Saint Bartholomew and scenes from the Passion of Christ on the triumphal arch, where a Latin inscription complements the visual narrative. The side altars, with granite tables, display gilded and polychrome carving, adorned with figures of cherubs, bunches of grapes, grapevines, and birds. In the sacristy, a semicircular basin lavabo, with a backrest adorned by volute scrolls and the representation of a crenelated tower, adds a unique touch to the visit.
The history of the Church of Saint James is intrinsically linked to the profound devotion of its faithful, evidenced by the presence of the Brotherhood of Saint Gonçalo, active since around 1732. This brotherhood owned a chapel dedicated to the saint, whose image was an object of great veneration. The faith and miracles associated with Saint Gonçalo were so effervescent that various paintings and wax ex-votos adorned the chapel and the temple itself, testifying to the gratitude and answered prayers throughout the centuries.
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt
Coordinates DD: 41.265751,-7.685308
Coordinates DMS: 41°15'56.7"N 07°41'7.1"W
Weather Andrães
On-duty Pharmacy Andrães
