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GPS 40.83378490368793, -8.580451028834153

The Parish Church of Válega, also referred to as Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Amparo, is located in the parish of Válega, municipality of Ovar, district of Aveiro, in Portugal.

History

Until 1150, the patronage of the church in Válega belonged to private individuals. From that date until 1288 it belonged to the Monastery of São Pedro de Ferreira after which, and until 1583, it came to belong to the bishop and chapter of the Cathedral of Porto. Later it became exclusive to the chapter, which maintained it until 1833.

The temple was originally founded in the place of Seixo Branco, where no traces remain.

In the middle of the 18th century, its implantation came to be located where it is currently located, with the works having started in 1746, and having consumed more than a century.

In the 20th century, between 1923 and 1958, conservation work was carried out on the initiative of J. O. Lopes and his wife, M. J. O. Lopes, in which the construction of the current coffered ceiling in exotic wood stood out. Also dating from this period, in 1942, was the installation of a tile panel depicting Senhora do Amparo, on the outer top of the chancel, signed by the atelier of Jorge Colaço and executed by Fábrica Lusitânia, in Lisbon.

Between 1959 and 1960, a campaign was carried out, sponsored by António Maria Augusto da Silva, Commander of the Order of Benevolence, which included covering the interior walls of the main chapel, sub-choir and wainscoting with marble slabs, covering the main façade on the interior walls of the nave and on the upper part of the triumphal arch, with figured polychrome tiles from Fábrica Aleluia, from Aveiro, and the stained glass windows signed by S. Cuadrado, from Madrid.

Finally, in 1975, the side and rear elevations were covered with tiles from Fábrica Aleluia, designed by the architect Januário Godinho.

The temple is not classified.

Characteristics

Rectangular in plan, it would have a front with a bell tower on the left side.

Inside, the baptismal font, in Ançã stone, dating from the early 16th century, and the main altarpiece, dating from the 18th century, stand out.