INTRODUCTION
The Church of the Monastery of Saint Peter of Ferreira is one of the most elaborate and expressive monuments of the Portuguese Romanesque.
The origins of this monastery are still surrounded in mystery, although it is before 1182 when the Church is explicitly referred, and the current temple began to be built.
At the end of the 12th century, the clergymen of the Episcopal Cathedral of Porto held the rights to a portion of the Monastery, the remaining parts belonging to a few noble families, such as the Sousas and the Maias.
HISTORY
The origins of this monastery are still surrounded in mystery, although it is prior to 1182 when the Church is explicitly referred, and the current temple began to be built.
However, its origins are much older, presumably from the 10th century, as stated in the reference made to it in the will of Mumadona Dias, from 959.
Nothing remains from this period in the temple’s construction since the oldest elements are related to the original Romanesque church, built between the late 11th and early 12th century.
In the 13th century, between 1258 and 1293, the Monastery was integrated into the Order of the Clerics Regular, extinct in the 15th century, when it no longer belonged to the clergy and was transferred with the attached lands and property to the Chamber of the Bishop of Porto.
ARCHITECTURE AND FURNITURE
The main portal is embedded in the pentagonal body. Its pierced archivolts [circular combs] have been compared to both those on the Gate of the Bishop of the Cathedral of Zamora, the Church of Saint Martin of Salamanca, and decorative Arabic art in Seville from the second half of the 12th century.
The Church of Ferreira gathers façades and sculptural motifs from several geographic origins and stonemasons’ workshops: Zamora-Compostela, Coimbra-Porto and Braga-Unhão. One such motif is the representation of minstrels [artists] in one of the capitals of the chancel.
Annexed to the main façade is the ruin of a funerary galilee, of which very few examples are left in Portugal.
Two burial pieces remain in the Monastery: a tomb and its tombstone with a statue of nobleman João Vasques da Granja laying down, dressed as a pilgrim and holding a staff.
OPENING HOURS
Worship Hours:
Wednesday, Friday and Saturday 8 pm
Sunday – 10.30 am
Visiting Hours by appointment and on request
CONTACT
Object
Monastery of Saint Peter of Ferreira
Avenida Mosteiro de Ferreira
Paços de Ferreira, Portugal
Organization:
Rota do Românico
Praça D. António Meireles, 45
4620-130 Lousada, Portugal
Telephone: +351 255 810 706
Email: rotadoromanico@valsousa.pt
Phone: +351 255 810 706 / +351 918 116 488
ENTRANCE FEES & GUIDED TOURS
By appointment and on request.
ROUTE SUGGESTIONS
TOURIST INFORMATION OFFICE
Praça da República, 46
4590-527 Paços de Ferreira, Portugal
Phone:+351 255 860 700
Fax:+351 255 861 420
Email: geral@cm-pacosdeferreira.pt