Category: Religious Architecture > Church
District: Viseu > Moimenta da Beira > Moimenta da Beira
The Parish Church stands in the heart of the town of Moimenta da Beira, in the municipality of the same name. Its central position on Rua Dr. João Lima Gomes gives it a prominent role in the town's urban landscape, making it easily identifiable and a landmark for those exploring the local area.
The building of the Parish Church of Moimenta da Beira is the result of a long history and several interventions that spanned centuries. Over time, it has undergone various alterations that make it difficult to imagine its original appearance from about one hundred and fifty years ago. Among the most significant modifications is the reconstruction of the main altar and the tribune, work that was carried out by a specialist from Braga. This careful restoration sought to preserve the unique character of the space.
One of the most visible elements of the Parish Church is its tower, added in 1932. This tower is notable for housing the bells that once belonged to the Convent of São Francisco, located in the parish of Vila da Rua, giving it a resonance with deep historical roots. The church's patron saint is Saint John the Baptist, a central figure in local devotion. There is an interesting detail related to the saint's statue: in the 20th century, the figure's head was replaced with a new one, also created in Braga, at the request of the populace who desired a more aesthetically pleasing representation.
Next to the church, in what was its churchyard, there was a cemetery which, following the 19th-century sanitation reforms, was decommissioned around 1859, the year a new municipal cemetery was built outside the town. The old iron gate in the churchyard, installed the following year, still marks the building's historical connection to community life and its transformations.
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt
Coordinates DD: 40.9836426,-7.6136776
Coordinates DMS: 40°59'1.1"N 07°36'49.2"W
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