Versão portuguesa aqui.
GPS 41.145719196890994, -8.614597600403219
The Church and Tower of Clérigos (18th century) is a remarkable architectural complex located in the city of Porto, Portugal, and is considered the postcard of that city.
The complex is located at the top of Rua dos Clérigos, between Rua de São Filipe Néri (or São Filipe Nery) and Rua da Assunção. It comprises three main elements: the Clérigos Church, the Clérigos Tower and the Casa da Irmandade, which connects the church and the tower and once housed the other services of the Clérigos Brotherhood. Designed by the architect Nicolau Nasoni, this set is one of the most notable examples of the late-baroque style in Portuguese territory and has been classified as a National Monument since 1910. It is considered Nasoni's most emblematic work, incorporating, in the granite ornamentation, "a dynamic rococo morphology alongside lines of vernacular, if not epimannerist, continuity". The most striking architectural elements of the set are characterized by irregular and exaggerated forms, which give rise to a surprising scenic effect. "Irregular plants stand out, the undulating facades, enhanced by a contrast of projections, balconies and recesses, interrupted arches, and a great profusion of varied windows, complemented by the exuberant bell tower".
Nasoni was buried in this church, in which he committed a lot of time and dedication, and a crypt where his tomb could be found was revealed in the extensive renovation carried out recently.
History
The history of the Clérigos architectural complex is linked to the Brotherhood of the Clérigos, an association of the faithful that was founded in the early 18th century with the aim of providing assistance to the clergy. The effective creation of this brotherhood took place between April and June 1707 and resulted from the merger of three Porto confraternities of secular clergymen whose common mission was to help clergymen in poverty, sickness and death: the Confraternity of Nossa Senhora da Misericórdia dos Clérigos Poor, the Congregation of Saint Philip Néri and the Brotherhood of Saint Peter «ad Vincula» (Saint Peter in chains). The Brotherhood of Clerics would have as patron saints Nossa Senhora da Assunção (main patron saint), Saint Peter and Saint Filipe Néri, which is reflected in the configuration of the coat of arms of the Brotherhood, which combines the monogram of Mary (AM), the keys and the papal tiara of São Pedro and the lily of S. Filipe Néri.
At a time when the clergy in Portugal was very numerous, many of its members faced great difficulties throughout their lives, so the concentration of all assistance in a single institution represented a remarkable volume of services and a dynamic that quickly made clear the inadequacy of the initial installations, located in a borrowed house: the Misericórdia Church. In the 1720s, the construction of its own facilities began to be considered, which would come to fruition in the following decade following the donation of land in the then designated place of Cruz da Cassoa, an area with negative connotations due to the proximity of the churchyard. of the Hanged, place of execution of death sentences and burial of the condemned.
The urgent need for its own space made it possible to overcome the stigmas resulting from the peculiar neighborhood and, in 1731, when the dean Jerónimo de Távora e Noronha was president, a project for the new church was requested from Nicolau Nasoni, an Italian from Tuscany who had arrived to Portugal six years earlier, coming from Malta (where he worked for António Manuel de Vilhena, Grand Master of the Order of Malta), to carry out work at the Porto Cathedral. Over more than three decades Nasoni would be the author not only of the church but of the entire set of clerics. This extensive building was located in a difficult location, with a steep slope, which required great care in adapting to the terrain; it has a longitudinal arrangement, with a long central body connecting the two most striking elements of the set, the church and the tower, positioned at the extremes. Essentially, three stages of construction can be distinguished: first the church was built (1732-1749), followed by the Brotherhood building, which connects the church to the tower (1754-1758) and, finally, the emblematic tower ( 1754-1763). The master mason António Pereira (who left his position in 1732 due to disagreements with the Brotherhood), the carver Miguel Francisco da Silva and, in the last phase, the master Manuel António de Sousa were responsible for the work.
Clerigos Church
Construction work on the church took a long time. They began in 1732, extending until 1749, with an interruption between 1734 and 1745 and changes in direction in terms of some structural aspects and the final configuration of the building, with the facade being finished in 1750. The first mass was celebrated in 1748, with the temple still to be finished, but the consecration would only take place many years after the complex was completed, in 1779.
The church was built essentially in granite and has a single nave, covered by a dome, with the coat of arms of the Brotherhood of Clerics in the center. The plan is elliptical and on the two side walls there are two preaching pulpits and four altars – the altar of the Blessed Sacrament, of Our Lady of Sorrows (or of the dead Lord), of Santo André Avelino and of São Bento. The option to abandon two side towers, initially foreseen in the alignment of the pulpits, forced a structural reinforcement, determining the construction of double exterior walls, more stable, with useful passageways surrounding the nave, which allow access to higher areas. like the high choir and enjoy the interior view of the nave and chancel from unexpected points of view. The main chapel, oblong, underwent several important modifications from 1750 onwards – when the central body was built, between the church and the tower –, and houses a high altar in marble of various colors, of Rococo inspiration and with risk by Manuel dos Santos Porto (executed between 1767 and 1780 by the construction site Joaquim da Silva Mafra), where the image of Nossa Senhora da Assunção stands out in the centre, in an elevated position, and, on the flanks, the polychrome wooden images of Saint Peter ad Vincula and S. Filipe Néri. On one side and on the other of the chancel, in a symmetrical position, there are chairs in richly worked Jacaranda wood (1774-1777) and, above them, two Iberian organs of baroque carving (1774-1779) that remain functional in the gift.
Stylistically, the building reveals the dominance of 17th-century Roman classicism sources, which Nasoni adapted to the ambience, tastes and available materials, without ceasing to follow, in the oval structure of the nave and in the baroque style of the facade, Roman models – by Carlo Rainaldi, in Santa Maria in Campitelli, for example –, completely unusual in the construction scene in Porto at the time. The façade is relatively narrow, which accentuates its height and monumentality, presenting a scenographic composition that covers the body of the church and takes advantage of a wide range of late-baroque decorative elements (common to Nasoni's pictorial formation); it is preceded by a double staircase with crossed flights that allows access to the Chapel of Senhora da Lapa, located below the church and which once served as a mortuary. Topped by a pediment punctuated by the three-armed Papal Cross and the monogram of Mary (with the intertwined A and M), the façade includes, in the upper area, a window flanked by two niches with stone images of St. Peter and S. Filipe Neri. On this façade, the decorative work reaches its peak, "perhaps the most baroque language present in the entire building, in which Nasoni combines straight lines with semicircular lines, decorating it with ornamental and symbolic motifs, including cartouches, wreaths, festoons, volutes, vegetal bundles, vases and stoves".
Brotherhood House
Once the church was completed, the brotherhood began to think about the need to build additional facilities capable of expanding the chancel and hosting a set of essential services. In 1750, the Brotherhood acquired the land called Adro dos Enforcados and, three years later, with the donation of the remaining land needed, construction work on the House of the Brotherhood began, which lasted until 1758. This building is sober in every way. distinct from the decorative overhead of the church. Nasoni opts for a more traditional architectural scheme, with a plan of straight walls arranged orthogonally, except for the funneling zone that makes the transition to the tower. Generically, there were four valences considered for the new building: the dean's residence, noble hall and archive, infirmary and residence for needy priests. This was, so to speak, the first priestly house in the country.
Today, the Casa da Irmandade has been transformed into a museum space, providing a step back in time and allowing access to areas that were once private and intended for the daily life of the Brotherhood of Clerics. In the Salão Nobre (or Casa do Despacho) we find a monumental table. It was here that the Fraternity members met to discuss and decide on administrative and financial management matters. Along the walls there are paintings depicting important figures of the Brotherhood (presidents, treasurers and benefactors) and, on the top wall, the panel of Nossa Senhora da Assunção stands out. Going through the other premises, the Safe Room, the Registry Office, or the former infirmary, "one realizes that the Museum has a collection made up of cultural assets of considerable artistic value, from the 13th to the 20th century, which spreads over the collections sculpture, painting, furniture and jewellery.... The infirmary of the Brotherhood of Clerics, which operated until the end of the 19th century dedicated to the treatment of sick clerics, was converted into an exhibition space, and currently houses the Christus collection. conceived from the donation of a collection by a private collector, [...] it tells a story complemented with objects, once devoted to devotion, which are now considered interesting cultural legacies".
Among the artistic pieces kept in the Clérigos ensemble, the Urn of the Blessed Sacrament, today located in the upper choir, stands out. Designed by Nasoni, this unique piece in gilded carving is surmounted by the Lamb of God; the decoration is profuse and integrates crosses in wreaths, angels and various mirrored elements. This sacrary urn was intended to place the consecrated host ("Sacred Reserve" or "Eucharistic Reserve") on Holy Thursday, after the celebration of the Mass that evokes the institution of the Eucharist, at the Last Supper. Among many other valuable pieces, the aforementioned panel of Nossa Senhora da Assunção should be highlighted, with the image of Our Lady being carried to Heaven by a group of angels (in the Main Hall), the image of the Archangel S. Miguel (located in front of the current entrance to the monument, on Rua de São Filipe Nery), or the image of Senhor dos Esquecidos da Salvação, which once belonged to the altar located at the top of the infirmary.
In 1753, at the request of the Clérigos Brotherhood, Nicolau Nasoni presented the project for a bell tower for the Clérigos group, which would replace the two towers initially planned for the side facades of the church. The following year, work began on what would become "the most beautiful and towering Tower, dominating the entire urban landscape of Porto". In 1763, after placing the iron cross at the top and the image of São Paulo in the niche over the door, the works on this major work by the Italian architect and true ex-libris of the city of Porto were concluded.
Built in granite, the stylistic characteristics of Torre dos Clérigos are considered examples of the spectacular Baroque style. According to Vítor Serrão, this work is similar in profile and in Baroque-Roman language to the Torre Nueva da Sé de Zaragoza by the Italian Giovan Battista Contini, which Nasoni may not have known, but which reveals the mastery of the same sources of 17th-century Roman classicism. XVII. The Clérigos Tower rises to a height of 75 meters and is spread over six floors of different scale, ending in a beautiful and audacious crown. The entrance door opens on the front façade, topped by a niche with an image of São Paulo. It has two bell towers and a carillon with 49 bells, one of the largest in the country (purchased in 1995). Vertical communication takes place via an interior staircase with a total of 225 steps, which gives access to two balconies, at different levels, from which you can enjoy a wide panoramic view over the city of Porto and surroundings. "From a 360° perspective, the visitor enjoys a unique moment, whether day or night, when in special seasons, the tower opens its doors until 11 pm. The Clérigos Tower is undoubtedly the ex-libris of the city, and an excellent viewpoint over it".
In addition to serving as a bell tower, this building has had other uses over the years: it served to mark time (through a daily shot of dry gunpowder that signaled noon); it was commercial telegraph; it was used as an orientation mark for the boats that sailed on the Douro River; it was used to hoist a flag when the "packet" arrived so that merchants would know of its approach; it was a strategic point for military and political battles; and nowadays it is undoubtedly one of the most important tourist attractions in the city of Porto.
The tower received 665 785 visitors in 2017.
Impact
The Clérigos ensemble is consensually considered a reference work, not only with regard to the Baroque period in Portuguese territory, but within the scope of the rich and diverse architectural heritage of the city of Porto. Let us hear the words of historian Paulo Pereira:
"If you have to choose a monumental ex-libris for the city of Porto, the Clérigos Church and Tower are undoubtedly the buildings that stand out the most, both for their originality and for their implantation in the urban landscape of a dense city and, to a certain extent, already “baroque”.The complex underwent an important restoration program in the 21st century, having been reopened on December 12, 2014, with a solemn mass and the presence of the Prime Minister of Portugal. The Restoration and Restoration of the Clérigos Church and Tower, by the architect João Carlos dos Santos, has since received several awards: honorable mention in the IHRU 2015 award; Vasco Vilalva Prize for the recovery and enhancement of heritage 2015; European Union Prize for Cultural Heritage / Europa Nostra Awards 2017.
In December 2015, the Brotherhood offered the Clérigos key to the mayor of Porto, in a symbolic gesture of openness to the community.
This historic complex is open to the public, allowing you to visit it through Rua de São Filipe Nery. In June 2015, the Brotherhood of Clerics announced that, after 250 years, the monument will open its doors at night by prior appointment. In 2016, the Church and Tower of Clérigos registered 625 thousand visitors, mostly foreigners. In percentage terms, the Spaniards stand out (45%), followed by the Portuguese (15%), French (13%), Brazilians (7%), Germans (5%) and British (3%).
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