Category: Civil Architecture > Pillory
District: Viseu > Santa Comba Dão > São João de Areias > Vila Dianteira
The Pillory of São João de Areias is located in the heart of Vila Dianteira, in the locality of São João de Areias, municipality of Santa Comba Dão. It stands in a small square, known as Largo Silva Carvalho, which has a gentle slope. This space is surrounded by traditional two-story buildings, creating an urban setting that invites a quiet pause and contemplation of local history.
This imposing pillory was erected in the 16th century, probably in line with the charter that D. Manuel I granted to the old municipality of São João de Areias. Its construction marked the autonomy and own jurisdiction that the locality acquired, asserting itself as a visible sign of the presence of royal power. Over time, pillories transitioned from mere posts of justice to symbols with a strong artistic character and representative of central power.
However, the history of the Pillory of São João de Areias reveals that its judicial function was not forgotten. Marks and holes in its structure indicate that delinquents and criminals were tied here, by their legs and chest. They were publicly exposed, subjected to popular scorn and, sometimes, to physical punishments. A striking episode from the 19th century, during the French Invasions, recounts the tragic torture to death of a local inhabitant at this very pillory, underscoring its somber role in the administration of justice at the time.
Standing about six meters high, the Pillory of São João de Areias is recognized for its harmonious design and remarkable mastery in granite work. Classified as "pine-cone type" and protected as a Property of Public Interest since 1933, its beauty lies in the details sculpted by an anonymous stonemason, who demonstrated exceptional command over the hardness of the region's stone.
The structure consists of four octagonal steps that serve as a base, upon which rests an elegant shaft, in the form of a roped pole, with four spiraled rods. The ensemble is topped by a well-pronounced capital and a conical upper element, also twisted, culminating in an adorned finial and an iron weathercock. Its aesthetics show notable similarities with Manueline elements present in other important artworks of the period, such as the columns of the portal of the Chapel of São Miguel, at the University of Coimbra.
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt
Coordinates DD: 40.393575,-8.076044
Coordinates DMS: 40°23'36.9"N 08°04'33.8"W
Weather São João de Areias
On-duty Pharmacy São João de Areias
