Category: Religious Architecture > Church
District: Viseu > Sernancelhe > Sernancelhe e Sarzeda > Mosteiro
The Church of the Mosteiro da Ribeira is located in the small village of Mosteiro, belonging to the union of parishes of Sernancelhe and Sarzeda, in the municipality of Sernancelhe. Situated halfway up a slope, next to the public road, the church is the most significant remnant of a former conventual complex. Its position offers a tranquil environment, flanked by cultivated fields and the old monastery buildings, with the Távora river flowing nearby, lending the place a serene atmosphere connected to the region's natural landscape.
This temple has its roots in the 15th century, when it was initially founded in 1460 as a male monastery of the Franciscan Third Order, by initiative of Friar Pedro de Ameixoeira. However, in 1520, its vocation changed, transforming into a female monastery of the Order of Saint Clare, under the guidance of the first abbess, D. Maria Pereira de Sernancelhe. This transition profoundly marked the life and architecture of the building, which adapted to the needs of the Poor Clare nuns. Throughout the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries, the building underwent various remodels and renovations, shaping its current appearance. In 1834, with the extinction of religious orders, the monastery closed its doors, but the church continued to serve its function, remaining a valuable testament to the region's monastic history.
The Church of the Mosteiro da Ribeira features a simple longitudinal plan, composed of a single nave preceding a chancel. On the exterior, the sobriety of its granite facades stands out, reflecting the typical restraint of conventual constructions of the time. Also noteworthy is its side entrance, a common feature in female convents, evoking the cloister and daily life of the nuns who lived there. Inside, attention falls on the artistic elements that adorn the space. The altarpieces, particularly the high altar, are enriched with expressive gilded woodwork, dating from the 17th century and representative of the National Style. The Solomonic columns and the tribune, which housed the image of the crucified Christ, are details that warrant close observation. The chancel ceiling is covered by 24 wooden coffered panels with hagiographic paintings, depicting saintly nuns and other sacred figures, while the nave's floor preserves numbered funerary slabs, silent testimonies of those who rest there.
Recognized as a Monument of Public Interest, the Church of Mosteiro da Ribeira is not merely a place of worship, but also a significant symbol of the village of Mosteiro and the municipality of Sernancelhe, dubbed "Land of Monasteries" due to the abundance and importance of its religious buildings. Its preservation and the attention to its artistic and historical details highlight the region's rich heritage. As Abbot Vasco Moreira stated about this place, it is a "valley so graceful that it should only be inhabited, after the nuns, by poets," a description that invites contemplation and immersion in the unique atmosphere of this place of memory and faith.
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt
Coordinates DD: 40.8775195,-7.5068945
Coordinates DMS: 40°52'39.1"N 07°30'24.8"W
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