Fachada principal da igreja de S. João Baptista
At the square of the Republic, in front of the City Hall - the palace where D. Manuel I lived before becoming King of Portugal, you can find a temple that retraces to the time where infant D. Henrique was governor of Ceuta, having been reconstructed in the Kingdom of D. Manuel. On the left side of the church raises its voluminous tower constituted of a quadrangular base, followed for an octagonal body and at the top one pyramidal spire.

This church is made of three main naves but it must be pointed out its beautiful calcareous rock pulpit. The cut of the altar-mor is from the ends of 17th century. Absorbed in the floor, we can see some burial tablets, one of which is assumed to say respect to Diogo Lopes, physical celebrity of D. Manuel I.

The tower of the church has a clock of the XVI century dcorated with faces and sculls and was brought from the C
astle of the Templars.

A series of cinquecentist boards hang from the walls of the nave: 'The Beheading of S. Joćo Baptista', 'Salomé Presenting the Head of S. Joćo Baptista', the 'Last Supper', the 'Mass of S. Gregório', 'Abraćo and Melquisedech' and 'The Catch of the Manna'.

These great panels had been executed in the period of 1538-1539 by the famous painter Gregorio Lopes, also author of one of the pictorial decorations of the C
harola of the Convent of Christ.


Baptistery | Triptych The Baptism of Christ | Beheading of St. Johm Baptist

Statue of D. Gualdim Pais | Organ | Sun clocks | Old postacard of the pulpit

Photos yielded by the Buildings and National Monuments General Department

Pulpit | Main nave | Lateral corridor
 

 

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 © Paulo Rodrigues - 2006  

Translation: Clįudia Costa / Paulo Rodrigues

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