Church Starter Pack

Welcome to the first blog post in a series about Portugal Culture. In this series, we will be exploring interesting places and things that have historical or cultural significance.

What better way to get started than with a 5-church starter pack! We begin at the main church of Tavira, (1) Igreja Matriz de Santa Maria do Castelo and visit the neighboring church, (2) Igreja Matriz de Santiago. Then, we go to two more churches on this side of the Rio Gilão, (3) Igreja de Misericórdia and (4) Igreja de São José, before we cross over to see (5) Igreja de São Paulo. Be sure to look for a 💎 Highlight Video for each church.

Entrance to these churches are free for residents. For non-residents, a 5-ticket pass is 10€.

Igreja Matriz de Santa Maria do Castelo

This 13th century church has a mixture of gothic, manueline and modern neoclassical styles, due to reconstruction through the years. It has a climbable bell tower but be sure to time your climb as this is an active carillon. 💎 Highlight Video.

The church of Santa Maria is the main church of Tavira. It is thought to have been built in the 13th century replacing a mosque from the Muslim occupation of Portugal. Like many buildings in Portugal, the church sustained damage in the 1755 earthquake. It was ordered to be rebuilt by the Bishop of the Algarve around 1790. The result was a mixture of modern neoclassical and gothic medieval.

Recorded music creates a peaceful atmosphere perfect for examining the church’s interior. There is a lot to see here. The main altarpiece is painted as an ilusão ótica (optical illusion) to look like stone.

The altarpieces that line the sides of the church are captivating. It is hard to pick a favorite but I was drawn to the blue tiled Chapel of the Most Holy, the Chapel of Senhor dos Passos in Manueline style (aka late Portuguese gothic), and the Altarpiece of Souls.

This church hosts the bell tower that rings hourly from 07:00-22:00. Climbing the bell tower is relatively easy and from here you can see the old walls of the city, the remains of the castle and can easily imagine the old town of Tavira.

Igreja Matriz de Santiago

An absolutely captivating 13th century church, it is the starting point of the eastern route of the Portuguese Way of St. James. 💎 Highlight Video.

This 13th century church consists of a single nave and chancel, and along the sides are various retábulos (altarpieces). Upon entering, the eye is drawn to Capela-Mor (the main chapel) and the triangle of brightly lit lamps. Saint James (Santiago) is in the center and at the very top is a Tetragrama YHWH (the name of God in the Hebrew bible).

Vying for my attention was the the Retábulo Nossa Senhora-a-França and the Capela do Santíssimo (Chapel of the Most Holy). Both are ornate and very beautiful.

Igreja de Misericórdia

In this 16th century church you will find Azulejo tiles lining the interior walls. The word comes from the Arabic word al–zulayj (little stone), and azul means blue. This church also has a climbable tower. 💎 Highlight Video.

Igreja de Misericórdia (Church of Mercy) was built between 1541 and 1551. It is in the Renaissance architectural style and the main portico is considered one of the finest examples of Portuguese Renaissance architecture in the Algarve. Inside, you will find 3 naves, 18th century altarpieces in the Baroque style, and a pipe organ that was acquired in 1835.

Along the walls of the church are blue and white azulejo tiles depicting 14 Works of Mercy with the spiritual works on the Gospel side and the corporal works on the Epistle side.

The tower of the church was constructed during the Baroque period, and can be climbed by spiraling up the 33 steps. At the top, you are treated to a panoramic view of Tavira.

Just before going into the church tower, there is a exhibition area and when we visited, the display included paintings and many small presépios.

I was especially interested in one particular presépio. The artist is from Santa Luzia, a nearby fishing village known for octopus.

Igreja de São José

A 15th century church in the Baroque style, a rarity in the Algarve region. It is also the site of Igreja do Hospital do Espírito Santo. 💎Highlight Video.

The construction of the Espírito Santo Hospital began in 1445 on a plot of land that was donated by King D Afonso V of Portugal. The hospital’s purpose was to care for the sick taken in from the Moroccan and overseas expeditions. In 1721, a miracle occurred where the image of Saint Joseph, displayed in a side altarpiece, was seen to sweat blood three times. As a result, the church started being known as Igreja de São José.

The building includes a gothic church with a nave in the shape an uneven octagon which can be seen more clearly when looking upwards toward the church’s ceiling.

The architectural details of the main altarpiece was painted by Joaquim Rasquinho in 1805. It is one of the few examples of trompe-l’œil in the Algarve region. This technique is essentially an optical illusion, using paint to create the illusion of columns and carvings.

On the side, is an entrance to a 16th century chapel which is of a Manueline design. It has the coats-of-arms in reference to the lineage of the founder, the widow of Francisco de Melo, Commander of the Order of St. James of the Sword.

There is also an exhibition that shows what the hospital looked like. Here is a hospital ledger and an original hospital bed.

Igreja de São Paulo 

Built in 1606, this church is in the Chão Style, a minimalistic plain architecture. The church is located near Tavira’s old bridge. 💎 Highlight Video.

Igreja de São Paulo was once attached to the Convento dos Eremitas de São Paulo. But with the extinction of the religious orders in In 1834, the church was handed over to the Brotherhood of Nossa Senhora da Ajuda (Our Lady of Good Aid). The convent was then sold at a public auction and later demolished

The church’s floor plan is that of a Latin cross, which is thought to be a rarity among Tavira’s churches. Inside, there are seven carved altarpieces. None of the altarpieces were gilded as was the custom during the Baroque period.

There is an an exhibit on the 1st floor. The stairway to reach it is narrow with a low clearance but much easier than the tower climbs in other churches. In this exhibit are photographs of Algarve chimneys by Avantino Sousa Moreira. These chimneys are all around and enchanting to look at.

Pousada do Convento da Graça

Here is a bonus 6th entry to this starter pack blog post. This is not a church, it was once a convent and now it is a Pousada which translates to Inn. 💎 Highlight Video

The Pousada Tavira, opened in 2006, is a historic guest house and part of the Pousadas de Portugal all of which reside in historic buildings or castles. Once passing through the hotel lobby, you are in the cloister with round arches opening to a central courtyard. From here, you can enter the single nave of the old convent church, or continue to the outdoor space.

What was here before? The Convent of Nossa Senhora da Graça, which was built in 1542. Its Chão Style of architecture was one of the first in the region. The convent is situated next to the Castelo do Tavira and the remaining walls of the castle are apparent today as you stroll through the gardens of the restored convent.