Church of Santa Cruz (Igreja de Santa Cruz) description and photos - Portugal: Braga (Topic)

Church of Santa Cruz (Igreja de Santa Cruz) description and photos - Portugal: Braga. Detailed information about the attraction. Description, photographs and a map showing the nearest significant objects. The title in English is Igreja de Santa Cruz.

Photo and description

The Church of Santa Cruz (Church of the Lord's Cross) of the 17th century was built at the direction of Geronimo Portilo, the founder of the Order of the Lord's Cross. Construction took place under the patronage of Archbishop Afonso Furtado de Mendonca. The church is located in the historic part of the city, not far from the Braga Cathedral.

Construction took over a hundred years. The construction of the temple began in 1625, and finished only in 1739. The work was carried out slowly, because of this, the temple began to decay. And in 1731, Manuel Fernandez da Silva and other masters were invited for the restoration work. In 1734, the walls of the church were destroyed, leaving only the facade of the building. The church was completely rebuilt in 1739.

The majestic building of the Church of Santa Cruz, and especially the stone facade of the temple, is very expressive. The facade is adorned with two bell towers, each of which has a built-in clock, and graceful weather vane ends. The building combines two architectural styles: Mannerism and Baroque.

Inside, the church has a high nave, the walls of which are built of square stone blocks. The vault of the nave of the church is in the shape of a cylinder and is supported by three supporting arches. There are three chapels on each side of the nave. The interior is replete with carved, gilded works of art from the 18th century. The altar image, organ and arches inside the temple are also covered with gilding. The pulpit for sermons deserves special attention. The walls are decorated with panels and paintings of the 17th-18th centuries. In the 18th century, restoration work was carried out in the church, which significantly changed the appearance of the temple.

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Topic: Church of Santa Cruz (Igreja de Santa Cruz) description and photos - Portugal: Braga.