Category: Civil Architecture > Museum
District: Vila Real > Chaves > Outeiro Seco
The Chapel of Our Lord of the Forsaken (Senhor dos Desamparados) is located in Outeiro Seco, a village in the municipality of Chaves. It stands on a plateau, at an altitude of about 850 meters, situated in a square that marks the entrance to the village.
This location has a particular setting, given its development right in the border area between Portugal and Spain, where the "Rua Norte" (North Road) once defined the border line, passing precisely next to the chapel. The surroundings are composed of local dwellings and some rock outcrops, creating an authentic, mountainous environment. The chapel is harmoniously adapted to the terrain's slope, featuring an inviting churchyard where stone benches allow for a moment of pause and observation of the surrounding environment.
The Chapel of Our Lord of the Forsaken is a monument of remarkable simplicity, whose construction likely dates back to the late 18th century, a result of the local community's effort. Its original design follows the Mannerist tradition, a style reflected in its rectangular plan and the sobriety of its lines.
Throughout the 19th century, the chapel benefited from interventions that improved its structure, including alterations to the main portal and the creation of a side oratory. Its solid facades of apparent granite ashlar, adorned with pilastered quoins, are noteworthy. The main facade, facing west, is marked by a depressed arch portal and a quadrilobed oculus. A porch, possibly a later addition, welcomes those approaching, supported by robust pillars resting on a slab wall, demonstrating careful adaptation to the terrain.
Inside the chapel, the plastered and white-painted walls create a luminous and serene environment, highlighting the ashlar slab floor. Above, the false barrel vault ceiling reveals paneled paintings illustrating scenes from the life of Christ, more recent works that introduce a figurative art element into the space.
The focal point is the main altarpiece, a late-Baroque carved wood example displaying a color palette of white, gray, pink, and gold. Its composition, with a concave plan and a single axis, is defined by two columns with plain shafts topped by Corinthian capitals. At the center, a blue-painted curved tribune houses the statuary. The ensemble is completed by the presence of a processional bier with a dressed figure of the Lord of the Steps, which occupies a central position in the nave, contributing to the atmosphere of devotion and local heritage.
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt
Coordinates DD: 41.7825821,-7.4472953
Coordinates DMS: 41°46'57.3"N 07°26'50.3"W
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