Materials Masonry, Azulejo, Wood | ||
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Similar Parque Infante Dom Ped, Ecomuseu Marinha da Troncalhada, Museu de Arte Nova, Mosteiro de Jesus, Cathedral of Aveiro | ||
A Church of São João Evangelista (Portuguese: Igreja de São João Evangelista), or Carmelite Church of Aveiro, is an 18th-century church, located in the Praça Marquês de Pombal, in the civil parish of Glória e Vera Cruz, in the Portuguese municipality of Aveiro, classified as a national monument since 1910.
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History
The monastery of São João Evangelista (to which the church belonged) was refuge of the Discalced Carmelites, and it was constructed in 1657 following testamentary disposition of D. Brites de Lara, widow of Pedro de Médicis (son of Cosimo de' Medici), a patron of the Aveirense convent.
It was originally constructed as a residential palace, a request was made to D. John IV of Portugal found a convent. Authorization was conceded posthumously, and only after his descendent (Raimundo of Lencastre, 4th Duke of Aveiro) began the adaptation of the palace to a convent. The first Carmelite sisters began arriving from convents in Lisbon, in 1658.
The first phase of the construction carried through the reign of Peter II of Portugal. The church was begun in 1704, transforming the palace chapel to conventual temple. Succeeding building campaigns, along the 18th century added many decorative elements (including gilded woodwork, azulejo, paintings and sculpture) completing profound renovations. The last public works were completed in 1738 by D. Gabriel, 7th Duke of Aveiro.
The last Carmelite at the convent died on 1879.
The convent was almost completely destroyed in 1905 to expand the main square.
On 1 June 1992 the property came under care of the Instituto Português do Património Arquitetónico (Portuguese Institute of Architectural Patrimony), under Decree-law 106F/92 (Diário da Repúblic, Série A, 126). On 14 August, a publice competition was held to complete conversation and restoration work on the property.
Architecture
The church is located in an urban area, addorsed to the remains of the antique annexes of the former convent, currently occupied by offices of the PSP, fronting the public square that includes landscaped modern administrative buildings. São João Evangelista fronts the Tribunal (PT020105060078), on either side of it the Civil Governor's building (PT020105060084), on its left, and the CTT building (PT020105060087) on its right; to its left is the former fire station (PT020105060110).
Presenting a somber facade, this simple rectangular church includes a sacristy along the axis of the presbytery. The interior is decorated in ornate gilded woodwork, that cover the walls and ceilings in proto-Baroque, Baroque and Rococo styles. In addition to framing a number of wall paintings, similar woodwork frame the presbytery over an image of the life of Mary and on the ceiling the life of Christ. Similarly, along the nave is gilded woodwork framing the life of St. Teresa of Ávila. Halfway along the walls are blue and white azulejo tiles, attributed to António Vital Rifarto of Coimbra in the 18th century: he was also responsible for gilded woodwork to the ceiling.