Category: Religious Architecture > Church
District: Viseu > Sernancelhe > Sernancelhe > Sernancelhe e Sarzeda
The Mother Church of Saint John the Baptist is located in the heart of Sernancelhe, prominently situated in its main square. Its position is peculiar, as it rests upon rocky outcrops that, in times past, were excavated to serve as graves, a detail that connects the site to its most remote history and the natural environment that surrounds it.
This church, classified as a Property of Public Interest, is a historic landmark in Sernancelhe. Its construction most likely dates back to the year 1172, according to an old inscription visible in the chancel. Over the centuries, the building has undergone various interventions, notably in the 17th and 18th centuries, which enriched and transformed its original layout, bearing witness to the architectural and artistic evolution of the region.
From the exterior, the church reveals an architecture that blends Romanesque robustness with elements from later periods. The main portal is particularly notable, featuring an arch with three archivolts. The central archivolt is decorated with a procession of ten angels with open wings, supported by columns with sculpted capitals. Flanking the portico, in niches, are sculptures representing the Evangelists, Saint Peter, and Saint Paul. The bell tower, square in plan and with full-arch openings, was built in 1636 and is topped by 18th-century pinnacles, also displaying some sculpted crosses on its walls. On the various exterior walls, one can observe a varied corbel course and other sculpted crosses.
Upon entering, one discovers a space composed of a nave and a chancel. The triumphal arch, which separates these two spaces, is polychrome and features rich decoration with spheres, ropes, fishbone patterns, and checkerboard designs. Inside, there are side chapels housing altars of gilded carving, and in one of them, a polychrome coffered ceiling can be admired. Also noteworthy is an arcosolium with a tomb displaying Gothic characters, possibly from the 15th century. On the walls, there are mural paintings flanking the triumphal arch and adorning the main facade, some of which date from the 16th century. The baptismal font, in turn, may have been carved from a probable Visigothic capital, adding an even older layer of history to the site.
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt
Coordinates DD: 40.8999287,-7.4937334
Coordinates DMS: 40°53'59.7"N 07°29'37.4"W
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