Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Igreja Nossa Senhora de Graca) description and photos - Portugal: Coimbra (Topic)

Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Igreja Nossa Senhora de Graca) description and photos - Portugal: Coimbra. Detailed information about the attraction. Description, photographs and a map showing the nearest significant objects. The title in English is Igreja Nossa Senhora de Graca.

Photo and description

The Church of Nossa Senhora de Graca, or in translation from Portuguese - the Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, was founded in 1543. The portal of the main facade of the church is crowned by a niche in which there is a sculptural statue of the Madonna holding the Child in her arms. The portal is also decorated with Tuscan columns.

The interior of the temple is made in two styles - Mannerism and Baroque. The church has one nave. The altarpiece in & nbsp; deserves special attention. chapel, which dates back to the 17th century. The altarpiece is decorated with paintings telling about the life of the Virgin Mary. The author of these paintings is Balthazar Gomes Figueira.

The Church of Our Lady of Grace is considered to be one of the very first Renaissance buildings in Coimbra. The architectural appearance of this temple has influenced the architecture of many other buildings in the city. The Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary is part of the college of the same name.

It should be noted that most colleges began to form in the 16th century, during the reformation of the University of Coimbra, during the reign of the Portuguese king Joao III. The colleges were intended for monks and priests who wanted to study at the University and belonged to a religious order. And the church built at such a college was considered a collegiate church.

The College of Our Lady was founded by brother Luis de Montoya, who belonged to the Order of St. Augustine. The building was constructed by the architect Diego de Castillo. This building became the prototype for future colleges in the city. In 1549 the college was annexed to the University of Coimbra.

The Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary was included in the list of monuments of national importance in 1997.

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Topic: Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Igreja Nossa Senhora de Graca) description and photos - Portugal: Coimbra.