Category: Religious Architecture > Church
District: Vila Real > Ribeira de Pena > Quintela > Penaformosa
The Parish Church of Limões, also known as the Church of São João Baptista (Saint John the Baptist), is located in the Penaformosa area, integrated into the village of Quintela, in the municipality of Ribeira de Pena. Its location is particularly picturesque: it is situated on a rural hillside, on an elevated platform, from which one can behold the landscape over the River Poio and a cluster of houses dating from the 17th and 18th centuries. The churchyard, paved with granite cubes and delimited by a wall and iron railing, invites tranquility and contemplation of the surroundings. Opposite the church, an ancient stone cross, with inscriptions alluding to the country's history, adds a traditional touch to the site.
This church is a testament to the religious architecture that developed between the 17th and 19th centuries. Although the initial construction dates back to the 17th century, the building underwent significant interventions over time. The 1755 earthquake caused some damage, but the community committed to its recovery, demonstrating the importance of the temple. In 1766, the portal accessing the choir loft was registered, and the imposing bell tower, which flanks the main facade, was added in 1867. Its Baroque architecture is visible in the organization of the plan, composed of a single nave that precedes a narrower and lower chancel.
The church's main facade, built of granite ashlar, displays a sober Baroque style, highlighted by Tuscan pilasters at the corners. The entrance portal, with a straight lintel, is surmounted by a niche housing the stone image of the patron saint, Saint John the Baptist, and an oculus with an ornamented frame. The two-story bell tower features four arched openings for the bells and a clock, culminating in a hexagonal roof punctuated by pinnacles and an iron weathervane. On the north facade, a noteworthy detail is the attached rectangular fountain, with a gargoyle-shaped spout and a panel of historical tiles vividly depicting the Baptism of Jesus in the River Jordan.
Upon entering the church, visitors are greeted by an interior where the plaster and white paint on the walls highlight the artistic elements. In the nave, the wooden choir loft, resting on stone corbels, stands out. On the Gospel side, the baptistery features a tile panel narrating the Baptism of Christ, and the monolithic stone baptismal font invites contemplation. The side altars and the pulpit, with its wooden rail ornamented with polychrome painting and gilded details, enrich the nave. The triumphal arch, supported by Tuscan pilasters, marks the transition to the chancel. Here, the main altar dazzles with its polychrome altarpiece in shades of blue, white, beige, and gold, enriched by Solomonic columns and a profusely decorated central tribune. The ceilings, both in the nave and the chancel, are false barrel vaults, stuccoed and painted with vegetal motifs, including a central cartouche in the nave depicting Saint John the Baptist playing with Jesus, and Eucharistic symbols in the chancel.
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt
Coordinates DD: 41.4521465,-7.8285797
Coordinates DMS: 41°27'7.7"N 07°49'42.9"W
Weather Quintela
On-duty Pharmacy Quintela
