Category: Religious Architecture > Chapel
District: Viseu > Tabuaço > Desejosa > Sítio da Capela
The Chapel of Saint Sebastian stands serenely in Chapel Site, an area within the locality of Desejosa, in the municipality of Tabuaço. Its elevated position on a hillside offers expansive views of the surrounding landscape, an invitation to contemplation. The churchyard, delimited by a wall and accessed through a wrought-iron gate, functions as a natural terrace, framing both the temple and the view. This location is nestled within the vast and remarkable Douro Demarcated Region, a territory of special cultural and natural value in Portugal.
The history of the Chapel of Saint Sebastian dates back to ancient times, with indications of a primitive hermitage existing as early as the 14th and 15th centuries. Originally linked to the hamlet of Balsa, which has been documented since the 13th century, this chapel played a central role in local religious life, functioning as a parish church in union with Desejosa. Over the centuries, the space was adapted and enriched, witnessing the evolution of devotion and sacred art in the region. The chapel is dedicated to the martyr Saint Sebastian, patron saint of the former curacy of Balsa.
Characterized by its exterior architectural simplicity, with a rectangular plan and a slightly narrower chancel, the Chapel of Saint Sebastian reveals an interior that surprises with its artistic richness. The chancel ceiling is one of its most interesting features, displaying a false lowered barrel vault composed of twenty Joanine carved and painted coffers, adorned with fleurons and hagiographic representations. In the nave body, the trough-shaped wooden ceiling, painted brown, creates a welcoming contrast.
The triumphal arch, which separates the nave from the chancel, stands out for its unique form, resulting from the combination of schist and granite slabs. The chapel also houses a remarkable set of altarpieces. The main altarpiece, in gilded and polychrome carving with shades of blue and pink, simulates marbling and is enriched by figures of angels, some of whom are musicians. There are also side altarpieces dedicated to Our Lady of the Rosary and Saint Catherine, as well as a 19th-century side altarpiece with Baroque inspiration, dedicated to Saint Ildefonsus. The baptismal font, carved from monolithic granite with a hemispherical basin, completes the set of artistic elements present in the temple.
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt
Coordinates DD: 41.13361907,-7.53556944
Coordinates DMS: 41°08'1.0"N 07°32'8.0"W
Weather Desejosa
On-duty Pharmacy Desejosa
