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Versão portuguesa aqui.
GPS 41.13830511417461, -8.607527471615503
The Monastery of Serra do Pilar or Monastery of Santo Agostinho da Serra do Pilar is located on an elevation called Serra do Pilar, in Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal. The building is on the opposite side of the Douro River from Porto, overlooking the Luís I Bridge and the Historic Center of Porto. The Monastery belonged to the Order of Saint Augustine and its construction began in 1538 and lasted for the following centuries, in various stages of construction that significantly altered the initial design. It currently serves as a religious, cultural and military site.
The monastery is considered one of the most notable buildings of classical European architecture due to its exceptional architectural value and the unique character of its church and its cloister, both circular and of the same size.
The Church and the Cloister were classified as a National Monument in 1910, and the chapter room, refectory, kitchen, tower and chapel were classified as a property of public interest in 1935. In 1996 together with the Historic Center of Porto and the Ponte Luís I became classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
History
Since its origin this monastery has had several denominations; was designated Monastery of Salvador do Porto (1542, 1553, 1566, 1572), New Monastery of Salvador (1559), Monastery of Salvador de Vila Nova (1570), Monastery of Serra (1694, 1737, 1740), by Monastery or Convent of Santo Agostinho da Serra (1720, 1746), or Monastery of Santo Agostinho da Serra do Pilar. The popular name by which it is better known today – Monastery of Serra do Pilar –, originated from the devotion to the Virgin of Pilar, which dates back to the period of the Philippine dynasty (according to some sources an image of the Virgin of Pilar was placed in the chancel of the Monastery of Serra do Pilar in 1678). From the memory of this devotion, in addition to the name of the monastery, the annual fair that takes place next to the monastery on the date of the old pilgrimage (August 15th) remains.
The foundation of this masculine monastery, originally from the invocation of Christ, Saint Savior of the World, is due to the need to transfer the community from the Monastery of Grijó (whose buildings were in a high state of degradation), from the Order of Canons Regular of Saint Augustine , to a location close to the city of Porto. A prominent location was chosen on the south bank of the Douro River, in the Serra de São Nicolau de Vila Nova, opposite that city. The origin of the initiative dates back to 1527, the date from which King D. João III and Friar Brás de Barros committed themselves to uniting all the monasteries of that order into a single congregation based in Santa Cruz de Coimbra and the new location aimed to facilitate connection to the other houses in Entre-Douro-e-Minho. It is not known for sure who laid out the original buildings, but the names of Diogo de Castilho and João de Ruão appear in documentary sources of the time and everything indicates that it was a work of joint authorship, although, with a high degree of probability, according to a general scheme drawn up by Friar Brás de Barros, translating certain philosophical, theological and architectural ideas then current in the court that reflected the renewal of thought that occurred in the renaissance.
Construction began in 1538 and the move of the religious to the new house took place four years later, still for temporary installations, the primitive church having been consecrated in 1544. The essentials of the monastery would be ready in 1564, extending the completion of the cloister until 1583. The original configuration of the monastery would not last long; in 1597, construction began on a new, larger church, as the initial one was considered too small and cramped, and the authorship of the new architectural design was unknown; It is also thought that this new building was simultaneously moved by the cloister, making use of the original elements, which seems to be confirmed by the characteristics of the main stonework elements (columns or portals), stylistically dating from the first half from the 16th century (following the foundation of the new church, in 1599 the invocation of the monastery became Saint Augustine). The works in this phase were particularly time-consuming, with the construction of the church's dome being halted for many years. The building would be completed between 1669 and 1672, with the new inauguration taking place on July 17, 1672. In 1690, two stonework contracts were signed with a view to further alteration of several buildings, aiming in particular to make room for the construction of a retro choir attached to the chancel (design by Domingos Lopes), which once again involved the dismantling and reconstruction of the Renaissance cloister; the following year, Filipe Silva was hired to build an altarpiece for the high altar. The works in this last phase were quick and led, in essence, to the current configuration of the monastery.
The geo-military relevance of the monastery resulting from its privileged location on the Douro River, Vila Nova de Gaia and the city of Porto, was manifested during the French invasions (1807-1814), the Siege of Porto (1832-1833), and to Maria da Fonte (1846-1847), leading to the construction of a fortified system. In 1835, a year after the extinction of religious orders was decreed and the building was incorporated into the State's heritage, the Serra do Pilar site was elevated to 1st class War Square. The wars that took place over the years left several buildings in ruins, in particular the south wing, and in 1927 its reconstruction began. In 1947, part of the facilities were transferred to the 2nd Heavy Artillery Regiment for a small museum to be set up there; ten years later the church opened for worship and from the end of the 20th century new maintenance works were carried out.
Characteristics
The Monastery of Serra do Pilar is a rare example of the adaptation of models intended for civil architecture to monastic construction. It is a building complex where typical elements of the Renaissance and Mannerism come together, consisting of a central nucleus that integrates the church (circular in plan, with a domed roof), the chancel and the retro choir (rectangular) and the cloister (also circular, with 1 floor), and two wings, to the north and south of this set, where the remaining conventual dependencies are arranged. It is a unique example of a convent with a church and a circular cloister.
Begun in 1537 and completed only very late, the cloister was moved twice, the last time being marked on the platband by the inscription "ANNO/DOMINI/NOTRI/1692". This cloister constitutes a unique case in national cloisters, materializing a type of circular patio created by the architect and theorist Francesco di Giorgio (1439–1501) for civil architecture; George Kubler points out, for his part, the predominantly 16th-century characteristics of the cloister and its affinities with the great courtyard of the Palace of Carlos V in Granada. The author of the initial project is unknown, who may have been Diogo de Castilho or João de Ruão (or both in collaboration), assuming that Friar Brás de Barros played an important role in defining the symbolism of the cloister, based on the interpretation of certain numbers and geometric shapes. Four small circular chapels open onto the surrounding, vaulted gallery, which is supported by 36 columns with Ionic capitals arranged in groups of 9, topped by a 17th-century upper platband decorated with Flemish rollwerk over a paneled parapet with obelisk finishes; the space between the four groups of columns opens onto the open courtyard, punctuated in the center by a bowl fountain derived from 15th century fountain models. The name Cloister of Silence is due to the fact that it was the burial place of canons, with 72 tombs on the floor of the gallery.
The church was founded by D. Acúrcio de Santo Agostinho but the author of the architectural design is unknown. Three phases of construction can be distinguished: the foundations and walls of the nave were built between 1597 and 1668; between 1660 and 1672 the dome and its lantern were built; the retro choir was built later, in 1690-93. The Church of Serra do Pilar has a circular shape with the same diameter as the cloister; the exterior and interior elevations are punctuated by pilasters and it is covered by a semi-spherical vault. The surrounding wall is thickest below the first entablature and thinnest above it, producing an effect similar to the sleeves of an extendable telescope. At the bottom of the wall there are eight large niches forming chapels and, above these, large windows with strong frames for interior lighting. This church "composes an erudite roundabout in which tall double pilasters with capitals identical to those of São Vicente de Fora support a robust cornice and extend in the decoration of the spherical vault, dividing it into panels, which a mannerist decoration carved in granite helps to monumentalize".
The dialogue between different aesthetic tendencies is present throughout the church, with a compositional sobriety, more in line with the conventions of the Renaissance, articulated with the "ambiguities of the mannerism of Nordic ornamental influence that predominated in Porto in the 16th century". This is particularly clear in the portal, with its Ionic columns, which "still harmonizes with the sobriety of the classic porticos; the edicule with rollwerk fins that ends it is very mannerist, showing signs of an eminent proto-baroque style". The church includes mannerist carved altarpieces in the side chapels and a neoclassical main altarpiece. Although the bell tower was only completed between 1548 and 1552, construction must have started much earlier. The adjacent gatehouse is of uncertain date, assuming that the foundations date back to the first phase of construction of the monastery, with the remainder being from a later date. Still in the north wing, note the long body that houses the bedroom. Belonging to the central axis of the set, the Chapter Room, the retro-choir and the ante-choir were built in the space left free by the displacement of the cloister in 1690. The Chapter Room houses a statue of D. Afonso Henriques by Soares of Kings.
The exact date of construction of the refectory and kitchen, located in the south wing of the monastery, is unknown, and it is thought that it may have taken place in the second half of the 18th century. These divisions are separated by a small room (the "minister"), intended for serving meals, and were the setting for wars in the 19th century, where wooden scaffolding was set up to allow the upper windows to be used as embrasures; these spaces would later be used temporarily as an officers' mess and museum space. The sacristy dates from 1755 and is identified with the works of the Pombaline government that succeeded it. It was badly damaged in the 19th century wars, with the vault collapsing in 1832 (reconstruction dated 1939).
Currently
In 1996 the Monastery of Serra do Pilar was included in the UNESCO World Heritage list along with the Historic Center of Porto and the Luís I Bridge. heritage of the North region of Portugal. The space project results in a protocol signed with the Brotherhood that manages the temple and with the Portuguese Army, which occupies part of the building. The exhibition offers visitors qualified and integrated information on the classified heritage of the region, including other sites classified by UNESCO: the Historic Center of Guimarães, the Douro Vinhateiro, the Côa Archaeological Park and the Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Monte in Braga.
Gallery
Versão portuguesa aqui.
GPS 41.13830511417461, -8.607527471615503
The Monastery of Serra do Pilar or Monastery of Santo Agostinho da Serra do Pilar is located on an elevation called Serra do Pilar, in Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal. The building is on the opposite side of the Douro River from Porto, overlooking the Luís I Bridge and the Historic Center of Porto. The Monastery belonged to the Order of Saint Augustine and its construction began in 1538 and lasted for the following centuries, in various stages of construction that significantly altered the initial design. It currently serves as a religious, cultural and military site.
The monastery is considered one of the most notable buildings of classical European architecture due to its exceptional architectural value and the unique character of its church and its cloister, both circular and of the same size.
The Church and the Cloister were classified as a National Monument in 1910, and the chapter room, refectory, kitchen, tower and chapel were classified as a property of public interest in 1935. In 1996 together with the Historic Center of Porto and the Ponte Luís I became classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
History
Since its origin this monastery has had several denominations; was designated Monastery of Salvador do Porto (1542, 1553, 1566, 1572), New Monastery of Salvador (1559), Monastery of Salvador de Vila Nova (1570), Monastery of Serra (1694, 1737, 1740), by Monastery or Convent of Santo Agostinho da Serra (1720, 1746), or Monastery of Santo Agostinho da Serra do Pilar. The popular name by which it is better known today – Monastery of Serra do Pilar –, originated from the devotion to the Virgin of Pilar, which dates back to the period of the Philippine dynasty (according to some sources an image of the Virgin of Pilar was placed in the chancel of the Monastery of Serra do Pilar in 1678). From the memory of this devotion, in addition to the name of the monastery, the annual fair that takes place next to the monastery on the date of the old pilgrimage (August 15th) remains.
The foundation of this masculine monastery, originally from the invocation of Christ, Saint Savior of the World, is due to the need to transfer the community from the Monastery of Grijó (whose buildings were in a high state of degradation), from the Order of Canons Regular of Saint Augustine , to a location close to the city of Porto. A prominent location was chosen on the south bank of the Douro River, in the Serra de São Nicolau de Vila Nova, opposite that city. The origin of the initiative dates back to 1527, the date from which King D. João III and Friar Brás de Barros committed themselves to uniting all the monasteries of that order into a single congregation based in Santa Cruz de Coimbra and the new location aimed to facilitate connection to the other houses in Entre-Douro-e-Minho. It is not known for sure who laid out the original buildings, but the names of Diogo de Castilho and João de Ruão appear in documentary sources of the time and everything indicates that it was a work of joint authorship, although, with a high degree of probability, according to a general scheme drawn up by Friar Brás de Barros, translating certain philosophical, theological and architectural ideas then current in the court that reflected the renewal of thought that occurred in the renaissance.
Construction began in 1538 and the move of the religious to the new house took place four years later, still for temporary installations, the primitive church having been consecrated in 1544. The essentials of the monastery would be ready in 1564, extending the completion of the cloister until 1583. The original configuration of the monastery would not last long; in 1597, construction began on a new, larger church, as the initial one was considered too small and cramped, and the authorship of the new architectural design was unknown; It is also thought that this new building was simultaneously moved by the cloister, making use of the original elements, which seems to be confirmed by the characteristics of the main stonework elements (columns or portals), stylistically dating from the first half from the 16th century (following the foundation of the new church, in 1599 the invocation of the monastery became Saint Augustine). The works in this phase were particularly time-consuming, with the construction of the church's dome being halted for many years. The building would be completed between 1669 and 1672, with the new inauguration taking place on July 17, 1672. In 1690, two stonework contracts were signed with a view to further alteration of several buildings, aiming in particular to make room for the construction of a retro choir attached to the chancel (design by Domingos Lopes), which once again involved the dismantling and reconstruction of the Renaissance cloister; the following year, Filipe Silva was hired to build an altarpiece for the high altar. The works in this last phase were quick and led, in essence, to the current configuration of the monastery.
The geo-military relevance of the monastery resulting from its privileged location on the Douro River, Vila Nova de Gaia and the city of Porto, was manifested during the French invasions (1807-1814), the Siege of Porto (1832-1833), and to Maria da Fonte (1846-1847), leading to the construction of a fortified system. In 1835, a year after the extinction of religious orders was decreed and the building was incorporated into the State's heritage, the Serra do Pilar site was elevated to 1st class War Square. The wars that took place over the years left several buildings in ruins, in particular the south wing, and in 1927 its reconstruction began. In 1947, part of the facilities were transferred to the 2nd Heavy Artillery Regiment for a small museum to be set up there; ten years later the church opened for worship and from the end of the 20th century new maintenance works were carried out.
Characteristics
The Monastery of Serra do Pilar is a rare example of the adaptation of models intended for civil architecture to monastic construction. It is a building complex where typical elements of the Renaissance and Mannerism come together, consisting of a central nucleus that integrates the church (circular in plan, with a domed roof), the chancel and the retro choir (rectangular) and the cloister (also circular, with 1 floor), and two wings, to the north and south of this set, where the remaining conventual dependencies are arranged. It is a unique example of a convent with a church and a circular cloister.
Begun in 1537 and completed only very late, the cloister was moved twice, the last time being marked on the platband by the inscription "ANNO/DOMINI/NOTRI/1692". This cloister constitutes a unique case in national cloisters, materializing a type of circular patio created by the architect and theorist Francesco di Giorgio (1439–1501) for civil architecture; George Kubler points out, for his part, the predominantly 16th-century characteristics of the cloister and its affinities with the great courtyard of the Palace of Carlos V in Granada. The author of the initial project is unknown, who may have been Diogo de Castilho or João de Ruão (or both in collaboration), assuming that Friar Brás de Barros played an important role in defining the symbolism of the cloister, based on the interpretation of certain numbers and geometric shapes. Four small circular chapels open onto the surrounding, vaulted gallery, which is supported by 36 columns with Ionic capitals arranged in groups of 9, topped by a 17th-century upper platband decorated with Flemish rollwerk over a paneled parapet with obelisk finishes; the space between the four groups of columns opens onto the open courtyard, punctuated in the center by a bowl fountain derived from 15th century fountain models. The name Cloister of Silence is due to the fact that it was the burial place of canons, with 72 tombs on the floor of the gallery.
The church was founded by D. Acúrcio de Santo Agostinho but the author of the architectural design is unknown. Three phases of construction can be distinguished: the foundations and walls of the nave were built between 1597 and 1668; between 1660 and 1672 the dome and its lantern were built; the retro choir was built later, in 1690-93. The Church of Serra do Pilar has a circular shape with the same diameter as the cloister; the exterior and interior elevations are punctuated by pilasters and it is covered by a semi-spherical vault. The surrounding wall is thickest below the first entablature and thinnest above it, producing an effect similar to the sleeves of an extendable telescope. At the bottom of the wall there are eight large niches forming chapels and, above these, large windows with strong frames for interior lighting. This church "composes an erudite roundabout in which tall double pilasters with capitals identical to those of São Vicente de Fora support a robust cornice and extend in the decoration of the spherical vault, dividing it into panels, which a mannerist decoration carved in granite helps to monumentalize".
The dialogue between different aesthetic tendencies is present throughout the church, with a compositional sobriety, more in line with the conventions of the Renaissance, articulated with the "ambiguities of the mannerism of Nordic ornamental influence that predominated in Porto in the 16th century". This is particularly clear in the portal, with its Ionic columns, which "still harmonizes with the sobriety of the classic porticos; the edicule with rollwerk fins that ends it is very mannerist, showing signs of an eminent proto-baroque style". The church includes mannerist carved altarpieces in the side chapels and a neoclassical main altarpiece. Although the bell tower was only completed between 1548 and 1552, construction must have started much earlier. The adjacent gatehouse is of uncertain date, assuming that the foundations date back to the first phase of construction of the monastery, with the remainder being from a later date. Still in the north wing, note the long body that houses the bedroom. Belonging to the central axis of the set, the Chapter Room, the retro-choir and the ante-choir were built in the space left free by the displacement of the cloister in 1690. The Chapter Room houses a statue of D. Afonso Henriques by Soares of Kings.
The exact date of construction of the refectory and kitchen, located in the south wing of the monastery, is unknown, and it is thought that it may have taken place in the second half of the 18th century. These divisions are separated by a small room (the "minister"), intended for serving meals, and were the setting for wars in the 19th century, where wooden scaffolding was set up to allow the upper windows to be used as embrasures; these spaces would later be used temporarily as an officers' mess and museum space. The sacristy dates from 1755 and is identified with the works of the Pombaline government that succeeded it. It was badly damaged in the 19th century wars, with the vault collapsing in 1832 (reconstruction dated 1939).
Currently
In 1996 the Monastery of Serra do Pilar was included in the UNESCO World Heritage list along with the Historic Center of Porto and the Luís I Bridge. heritage of the North region of Portugal. The space project results in a protocol signed with the Brotherhood that manages the temple and with the Portuguese Army, which occupies part of the building. The exhibition offers visitors qualified and integrated information on the classified heritage of the region, including other sites classified by UNESCO: the Historic Center of Guimarães, the Douro Vinhateiro, the Côa Archaeological Park and the Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Monte in Braga.
Gallery
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