Ermida de Santo André (Beja)
The Ermida de Santo André in the southern Portuguese city of Beja in the Alentejo is an exceptional example of late medieval architecture on the Iberian Peninsula .
location
The hermit chapel is located about 1 km northwest of the old town center with the castle and cathedral of Beja on the road to Lisbon at a height of about 260 m .
history
There is no precise information about the history of the building. Allegedly, King Sancho I (r. 1185–1211) should have donated the original building. The current building most likely dates from the beginning of the 16th century and is attributed to the then ruling monarch Manuel I (ruled 1495–1521). It was completely restored in the 1990s.
architecture
The architecturally very uniform looking single-nave chapel consists of three components - a narthex- like porch with a pent roof and a nave with a gable roof and simple bell gable and an almost square apse . The vestibule and the nave have a total of 12 side turrets, which can be seen as buttresses from a static point of view , but can also be interpreted architecturally as small defensive towers, especially since the eaves of all parts of the building with the exception of the vestibule are elevated with battlements . In addition, the number of twelve towers alludes to the number of the apostles .
Furnishing
The church, which is arched by a pointed barrel vault with girders, is not furnished. In the apse there are some remains of frescoes and azulejos from the late 16th or early 17th century.
Web links
- Beja, Ermida de Santo André - photo + brief information (Portuguese)
- Beja, Ermida de Santo André - Photos + Info (Portuguese)
Coordinates: 38 ° 1 ′ 12 ″ N , 7 ° 52 ′ 13 ″ W.