Chapel of Our Lady of Sabroso

Category: Religious Architecture > Chapel

District: Viseu > Tabuaço > Sabroso

Location

The Chapel of Our Lady of Sabroso is located in the village of Sabroso, in the municipality of Tabuaço, nestled within a landscape of remarkable rural tranquility. This isolated and serene spot is surrounded by a wooded area, creating a calm environment conducive to contemplation. Its position on a flat and harmonious surface invites a pause to appreciate the natural surroundings.

Historical and Devotional Legacy

The history of the Chapel of Our Lady of Sabroso dates back to the 11th or 12th centuries, revealing the deep temporal roots of this place. Interestingly, the chapel was built on land where there were already traces of human occupation since at least the Castro period, indicating a long and continuous presence of communities and significance for this site.

Over the centuries, this space consolidated itself as an important place of pilgrimage and popular devotion, maintaining this vocation to this day. In older times, the chapel even served as the main church of the parish, before the construction of the current church of Barcos, which underlines its relevance in the religious and community life of the region.

Architectural Details

The Chapel of Our Lady of Sabroso essentially features Romanesque lines, although the building underwent significant interventions and alterations throughout the 17th century, which introduced new elements. Its main facade, facing west, is notable for its slightly pointed arch portal, which incorporates two archivolts, and is topped by a simple bell tower.

On the exterior, along the perimeter of the chapel, a series of corbels is visible, a characteristic decorative element, adorned with half-spheres and some figurative motifs. On the exterior walls, several lids of old tomb chests are arranged, embellished with sculpted crosses, which are believed to have come from the cemetery that originally surrounded the temple.

Inside, the chapel consists of a single nave and a chancel, of more modest dimensions, both with false barrel vaulted ceilings. The triumphal arch, also a pointed arch, connects the nave to the chancel, flanked by two altars. A quadrangular stone pulpit, with access via a small staircase, enriches the Gospel side. In the chancel, a polychrome wooden altarpiece can be observed, completing the interior ensemble.

License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt