Mother Church of Touro

Category: Religious Architecture > Church

District: Viseu > Vila Nova de Paiva > Touro

Location

The Mother Church is located in the peaceful village of Touro, an integral part of the municipality of Vila Nova de Paiva. It stands in a generous churchyard, offering an unobstructed space around the building. Its central position in the village makes it a landmark for those passing through or visiting this small community.

A Recent Edifice with Historical Roots

The church visible today was built relatively recently, between 1951 and 1957. However, this site has a longer history of worship, as the current structure replaced an earlier church, whose probable origin dates back to the 18th century. Thus, the space maintains a continuity of faith and memory throughout the centuries.

Architecture and Interior

Visually, the Mother Church of Touro stands out for its considerable size. It features a single-nave architecture, giving it a sense of spaciousness. Upon entering, visitors encounter an ample space, configured as a "hall-church," where two distinct arches are observed: one in the middle of the nave and another marking the transition to the chancel. The interior is characterized by its good natural lighting, which highlights the artistic elements.

Artistic and Symbolic Elements

The churchyard houses a monument dedicated to the Holy Trinity. This piece, designed by Martinho Morgado in 2007, was created to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the current church's construction. Inside, natural light is complemented by the colorful presence of stained-glass windows, which depict scenes from the life of Christ and the Virgin Mary, works by the artist António Mendes, from Lisbon, dated 1990. From the old church, a remarkable image of Our Lady of the Rosary is preserved, believed to be from the 17th century and located on one of the side altars of the contemporary church, constituting a visible link to the past.

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