Category: Religious Architecture > Church
District: Viseu > Santa Comba Dão > São João de Areias > Póvoa dos Mosqueiros
The Church of São João de Areias is located in the village of São João de Areias, in the municipality of Santa Comba Dão. It stands in a prominent position at the top of the settlement, offering a perspective over the surrounding rural area and the landscape embracing the Póvoa dos Mosqueiros region.
This temple has its roots in centuries of devotion, with its dedication to Saint John the Baptist documented since the 10th century. The structure seen today is the result of an extensive construction campaign that took place in the 18th century, replacing the more modest primitive church. Construction of the current church began around 1766, reflecting a remarkable effort by the community and religious entities of the time to build a grander and more suitable place of worship.
The church's façade, completed in 1768, exhibits a characteristic Baroque style, marked by its symmetry and ornamentation. It is flanked by two bell towers and features a central axis with a cross at the top, a central niche, a large window illuminating the choir, and an entrance door with a curved lintel and pediment. In the main niche, there is an old stone image of Saint John the Baptist, dating from the 16th century, believed to have belonged to the primitive church, and which was carefully integrated into this new construction.
Inside, the spacious nave reveals a set of carved altars that are among the highlights of the visit. The two imposing and symmetrical side altars are notable examples of the Rococo style, with its exuberance of forms and decorative details. In one of them, it is possible to contemplate the image of Our Lady of the Snows, a 16th-century stone piece, distinguished by its expressive features, reminiscent of the Coimbra workshops of that period. The chancel, completed later, features its own altarpiece, where images of Saint John the Baptist and Saint Joseph are found. Above the arch preceding the chancel, a large cordiform cartouche (heart-shaped) displays a painting of the Lamb of God, creating a symbolic link with the temple's patron saint. The curved ceiling, which in the past featured paintings depicting biblical scenes and the Four Evangelists, is now made of varnished wood, the result of a careful restoration carried out in the mid-20th century, which sought to preserve and enhance the building's vast artistic heritage.
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt
Coordinates DD: 40.3707677,-8.0823583
Coordinates DMS: 40°22'14.8"N 08°04'56.5"W
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