Coimbras Chapel
Encyclopedia
The Chapel of the Coimbras is a Manueline
chapel
located in the civil parish
of São João do Souto, in the municipality of Braga
.
João de Coimbra, who purchased this home in 1505. The providor for the bishopric of Braga, João constructed the chapel between 1525 and 1528, under archbishop D. Diogo de Sousa. It is likely that this chapel was annex of the primitive church of São João do Souto, as one of the lateral chapels. Artists from Biscay
were contracted to complete the project while they were working in the medieval city, that included Palace of Biscainhos
. These included Filipe Odarte, who was responsible for the main church, and sculptures by Hodart (exterior carvings) and João de Ruão (retable and tomb sculptures), as well as the family coat-of-arms of D. Diogo de Sousa (in the portico). In 1530, a brotherhood was instituted support the services in the chapel.
In 1906, the Palacete of the Coimbras was demolished, due to the redesign of urban space, creating the Largo São João do Souto. The Manueline
elements were preserved and a new building was constructed opposite the road. The Casa dos Coimbras retained the windows and a few of the doors from the original structure, while modifying the structure of the Manueline building.
It was classified by IPPAR
(a forerunner of the Instituto de Gestão do Património Arquitectónico e Arqueológico (IGESPAR) as a national monument
on 16 June 1910. The first interventions occurred in 1936: renovations to the ancient chapel included supporting the walls and reconstruction of the ceiling.
It consists of a rectangular tower, covered in ceiling tile, preceded by an enclosed porch supported by elegant Baroque
columns with coat-of-arms of the Coimbras family. After the porch is a Romanesque-inspired rounded wooden-door, circled by carved flourishments, while the tower is highlighted by a semi-circular tower window and corbel
s with baldachin
s.
The interior ceiling is covered with a ribbed vault and golden rosettes, centred on the arms of House of Lancaster. The high altar is covered in sculptures, located within niches on corbels with awnings. A rounded arch, with the arms of the founder, protect access to the main tomb. The walls are decorated in azulejo
tile with figures from the creation of the world, while the pavement is covered in tomb slabs.
Manueline
The Manueline, or Portuguese late Gothic, is the sumptuous, composite Portuguese style of architectural ornamentation of the first decades of the 16th century, incorporating maritime elements and representations of the discoveries brought from the voyages of Vasco da Gama and Pedro Álvares Cabral...
chapel
Chapel
A chapel is a building used by Christians as a place of fellowship and worship. It may be part of a larger structure or complex, such as a church, college, hospital, palace, prison or funeral home, located on board a military or commercial ship, or it may be an entirely free-standing building,...
located in the civil parish
Freguesia
Freguesia is the Portuguese term for a secondary local administrative unit in Portugal and some of its former colonies, and a former secondary local administrative unit in Macau, roughly equivalent to an administrative parish. A freguesia is a subdivision of a concelho, the Portuguese synonym term...
of São João do Souto, in the municipality of Braga
Braga Municipality
-Parishes:...
.
History
The chapel had its base in the ecclesiastical residence of the Coimbras family, and its patriarch D.Dom (title)
Dom is a title of respect prefixed to the given name. It derives from Latin Dominus.It is used in English for certain Benedictine and Carthusian monks, and for members of certain communities of Canons Regular. Examples include Benedictine monks of the English Benedictine Congregation...
João de Coimbra, who purchased this home in 1505. The providor for the bishopric of Braga, João constructed the chapel between 1525 and 1528, under archbishop D. Diogo de Sousa. It is likely that this chapel was annex of the primitive church of São João do Souto, as one of the lateral chapels. Artists from Biscay
Biscay
Biscay is a province of Spain and a historical territory of the Basque Country, heir of the ancient Lord of Biscay. Its capital city is Bilbao...
were contracted to complete the project while they were working in the medieval city, that included Palace of Biscainhos
Biscainhos Museum
The Biscainhos Museum is located in the palace with the same name, in Sé, Braga, Portugal.-The Building:The building dates possibly from the late 16th century and like others manor houses, the edifice has undergone many restorations and additions over the years...
. These included Filipe Odarte, who was responsible for the main church, and sculptures by Hodart (exterior carvings) and João de Ruão (retable and tomb sculptures), as well as the family coat-of-arms of D. Diogo de Sousa (in the portico). In 1530, a brotherhood was instituted support the services in the chapel.
In 1906, the Palacete of the Coimbras was demolished, due to the redesign of urban space, creating the Largo São João do Souto. The Manueline
Manueline
The Manueline, or Portuguese late Gothic, is the sumptuous, composite Portuguese style of architectural ornamentation of the first decades of the 16th century, incorporating maritime elements and representations of the discoveries brought from the voyages of Vasco da Gama and Pedro Álvares Cabral...
elements were preserved and a new building was constructed opposite the road. The Casa dos Coimbras retained the windows and a few of the doors from the original structure, while modifying the structure of the Manueline building.
It was classified by IPPAR
IPPAR
The Instituto de Gestão do Património Arquitectónico e Arqueológico , former Instituto Português do Património Arquitectónico , is the public institute tasked with the conservation, preservation, and inventory of the Portuguese architectural heritage. This includes buildings and sites of...
(a forerunner of the Instituto de Gestão do Património Arquitectónico e Arqueológico (IGESPAR) as a national monument
Monuments of Portugal
The Monuments of Portugal were constructed throughout the Portuguese territory, and date back to the period of pre-historic settlement of occupation. Subsequently, the region that is today Portugal has been colonized by many civilizations, which have left marks in the territory, constructing...
on 16 June 1910. The first interventions occurred in 1936: renovations to the ancient chapel included supporting the walls and reconstruction of the ceiling.
Architecture
The chapel is located in an urban environment within the historic centre of Braga, alongside the Church of São João do Souto, in the civil parish of the same name. It is situated along a road, whose posterior façade faces the Palace of Coimbras, across from the Casa do Passadiço, southeast from the Church of Santa Cruz and Hospital of São Marcos.It consists of a rectangular tower, covered in ceiling tile, preceded by an enclosed porch supported by elegant Baroque
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
columns with coat-of-arms of the Coimbras family. After the porch is a Romanesque-inspired rounded wooden-door, circled by carved flourishments, while the tower is highlighted by a semi-circular tower window and corbel
Corbel
In architecture a corbel is a piece of stone jutting out of a wall to carry any superincumbent weight. A piece of timber projecting in the same way was called a "tassel" or a "bragger". The technique of corbelling, where rows of corbels deeply keyed inside a wall support a projecting wall or...
s with baldachin
Baldachin
A baldachin, or baldaquin , is a canopy of state over an altar or throne. It had its beginnings as a cloth canopy, but in other cases it is a sturdy, permanent architectural feature, particularly over high altars in cathedrals, where such a structure is more correctly called a ciborium when it is...
s.
The interior ceiling is covered with a ribbed vault and golden rosettes, centred on the arms of House of Lancaster. The high altar is covered in sculptures, located within niches on corbels with awnings. A rounded arch, with the arms of the founder, protect access to the main tomb. The walls are decorated in azulejo
Azulejo
Azulejo from the Arabic word Zellige زليج is a form of Portuguese or Spanish painted, tin-glazed, ceramic tilework. They have become a typical aspect of Portuguese culture, having been produced without interruption for five centuries...
tile with figures from the creation of the world, while the pavement is covered in tomb slabs.