Category: Religious Architecture > Church
District: Viseu > Sernancelhe > Sernancelhe > Sernancelhe e Sarzeda
Located in the heart of Sernancelhe, the Main Church, also known as the Church of Saint John the Baptist, stands imposingly in the town's main square. Its elevated position highlights it within the urban landscape, inviting a moment of contemplation. Interestingly, its foundation rests on rocky outcrops, where traces of ancient rock-cut tombs are found, lending the site an atmosphere of deep historicity and connection to the past.
The history of this church has deep roots, dating back to 1172, the year of its initial construction. At that time, the temple belonged to the patronage of the Commandery of Malta, an important military and religious order. Later, in the 16th century, in 1574, the church came under royal patronage and was integrated into the Diocese of Lamego. Throughout the 17th and 18th centuries, various interventions and reforms shaped its current appearance, bearing witness to continuous artistic and architectural enrichment.
The church's exterior reveals its Romanesque nature, characterized by a rectangular plan and the presence of a square bell tower, attached to the main facade. This tower, added in 1636, features 18th-century pinnacles and bears sculpted crosses on its wall that transport us back in time. The main facade is a particular point of interest, with a round arch portico, adorned by three archivolts. The central archivolt stands out with a representation of ten open-winged angels, resting on elegant columns with smooth shafts. At this level, two niches house small sculptures, believed to represent the Evangelists, Saint Peter and Saint Paul, beneath elaborate canopies. The tympanum, more modern, displays geometric and vegetal motifs, while a quatrefoil oculus crowns the ensemble, adding a touch of gracefulness to the robust granite.
Upon passing through the portal, the visitor is welcomed into a single-nave space leading to the chancel. The triumphal arch connecting them is a central element, richly polychromed and decorated with patterns of spheres, ropes, herringbone, and checkerboard, revealing the artistic mastery of the era. Inside, various side chapels house altars in gilded woodwork, some with polychrome coffered ceilings, creating an environment of great visual richness. Also notable is an arcosolium with a Gothic character tomb, adding a touch of mystery and antiquity. In several parts of the church, including the wall of the triumphal arch and the inner face of the main facade, traces of mural paintings can be observed, testaments to an art that endured over the centuries. Careful observation may also reveal a baptismal font that, according to some indications, might have been a reused Visigothic capital, connecting this space to an even more remote past in Portuguese history.
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt
Coordinates DD: 40.8980096,-7.49536027
Coordinates DMS: 40°53'52.8"N 07°29'43.3"W
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