The Chapel of the Coimbras () is a

Manueline The Manueline (, ), occasionally known as Portuguese late Gothic, is the sumptuous, composite Portuguese architectural style originating in the 16th century, during the Portuguese Renaissance and Age of Discoveries. Manueline architecture inco ...

chapel A chapel (from , a diminutive of ''cappa'', meaning "little cape") is a Christianity, Christian place of prayer and worship that is usually relatively small. The term has several meanings. First, smaller spaces inside a church that have their o ...

located in the

civil parish In England, a civil parish is a type of administrative parish used for local government. It is a territorial designation which is the lowest tier of local government. Civil parishes can trace their origin to the ancient system of parishes, w ...

São João do Souto SAO or Sao may refer to: Places * Sao civilisation, in Middle Africa from 6th century BC to 16th century AD * Sao, a town in Boussé Department, Burkina Faso * Serb Autonomous Regions (''Srpska autonomna oblast'', SAO), during the breakup of ...

, in the municipality of

Braga Braga (; ) is a cities of Portugal, city and a Municipalities of Portugal, municipality, capital of the northwestern Portugal, Portuguese Braga (district), district of Braga and of the historical and cultural Minho Province. Braga Municipality ...

. It has been classified as a

National Monument A national monument is a monument constructed in order to commemorate something of importance to national heritage, such as a country's founding, independence, war, or the life and death of a historical figure. The term may also refer to a sp ...

since 1910.

History

The chapel had its base in the ecclesiastical residence of the Coimbras family, and its patriarch D. João de Coimbra, who purchased this home in 1505. The provider for the bishopric of Braga, João constructed the chapel between 1525 and 1528, under

archbishop In Christian denominations, an archbishop is a bishop of higher rank or office. In most cases, such as the Catholic Church, there are many archbishops who either have jurisdiction over an ecclesiastical province in addition to their own archdi ...

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 ( ; ; ), is a province of the Basque Country (autonomous community), Basque Autonomous Community, heir of the ancient Lordship of Biscay, lying on the south shore of the Bay of Biscay, eponymous bay. The capital and largest city is Bilb ...

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,Vitor Serrão (2002), p.154 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

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 A national monument is a monument constructed in order to commemorate something of importance to national heritage, such as a country's founding, independence, war, or the life and death of a historical figure. The term may also refer to a sp ...

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 The Baroque ( , , ) is a Western Style (visual arts), style of Baroque architecture, architecture, Baroque music, music, Baroque dance, dance, Baroque painting, painting, Baroque sculpture, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished from ...

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 In architecture, a corbel is a structural piece of stone, wood or metal keyed into and projecting from a wall to carry a wikt:superincumbent, bearing weight, a type of bracket (architecture), bracket. A corbel is a solid piece of material in t ...

s with

baldachin A baldachin, or baldaquin (from ), is a canopy of state typically placed over an altar or throne. It had its beginnings as a cloth canopy, but in other cases it is a sturdy, permanent Architecture, architectural feature, particularly over Alta ...

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 (, ; from the Arabic ) is a form of Portuguese and Spanish painted Tin-glazing, tin-glazed ceramic tilework. ''Azulejos'' are found on the interior and exterior of church (building), churches, palaces, ordinary houses, schools, and nowadays, r ...

tile with figures from the creation of the world, while the pavement is covered in tomb slabs.
Braga-22-Capela da Casa dos Coimbras-2011-gje.jpg, Capela and Casa dos Coimbras Braga-24-Casa dos Coimbras-2011-gje.jpg, Casa dos Coimbras Braga-Sao Joao do Souto-02-2011-gje.jpg, Capela and Casa dos Coimbras Braga-Sao Joao do Souto-04-2011-gje.jpg, Igreja de São João do Souto and Capela dos Coimbras Braga-Sao Joao do Souto-08-2011-gje.jpg, Capela dos Coimbras Braga-Sao Joao do Souto-06-2011-gje.jpg, Galilee of the Chapel Braga-Sao Joao do Souto-10-2011-gje.jpg, Detail of the galilee Lion Capela dos Coimbras.JPG, A lion statue in limestone on the galilee Braga-Sao Joao do Souto-14-Skulpturen-2011-gje.jpg, Sculptures by Philippe Hodart on the galilee Braga-Sao Joao do Souto-12-2011-gje.jpg, Top of the tower

References

;Notes ;Sources *

External links

{{Braga Roman Catholic chapels in Portugal Roman Catholic churches in Braga National monuments in Braga District