Portugal

This church, dedicated to St. Christopher, is the last remaining building of a monastery founded in the 11th century, and belonging to the Canons Regular of St. Augustine. The earliest reference to the monastery dates from 1103. The monastery existed upto 1443, when it was dissolved The present church is the result of a rebuilding carried out in 1151, as indicated by an inscription on the apse. The western facade with this fantastic portal was probably erected late 12th century.

This church, dedicated to St. Christopher, is the last remaining building of a monastery founded in the 11th century, and belonging to the Canons Regular of St. Augustine. The earliest reference to the monastery dates from 1103. The monastery existed upto 1443, when it was dissolved The present church is the result of a rebuilding carried out in 1151, as indicated by an inscription on the apse. The western facade and this fantastic portal was probably created late 12th century. A well dressed bishop/abbot with a crozier and a mitra is in the center. He is depicted in a blessing gesture. He is flanked by two smaller persons holding books (probably the bible) - and in the corners a bird under a sun symbol - and a small mermaid holding a moon symbol. The style is pretty rough, but impressing.

This church, dedicated to St. Christopher, is the last remaining building of a monastery founded in the 11th century, and belonging to the Canons Regular of St. Augustine. The earliest reference to the monastery dates from 1103. The monastery existed upto 1443, when it was dissolved The present church is the result of a rebuilding carried out in 1151, as indicated by an inscription on the apse. The western facade was probably created late 12th century. The corbels under the roof my be a bit older. Here is a monkey.

This church, dedicated to St. Christopher, is the last remaining building of a monastery founded in the 11th century, and belonging to the Canons Regular of St. Augustine. The earliest reference to the monastery dates from 1103. The monastery existed upto 1443, when it was dissolved The present church is the result of a rebuilding carried out in 1151, as indicated by an inscription on the apse. The western facade was probably created late 12th century. The corbels under the roof my be a bit older. Here is another monkey and a deer (?).

This church, dedicated to St. Christopher, is the last remaining building of a monastery founded in the 11th century, and belonging to the Canons Regular of St. Augustine. The earliest reference to the monastery dates from 1103. The monastery existed upto 1443, when it was dissolved The present church is the result of a rebuilding carried out in 1151, as indicated by an inscription on the apse. The western facade was probably created late 12th century. The corbels under the roof my be a bit older. Here is musician, probably playing a very sentimental and romantic melody, so his listener is very relaxed and dreaming away.

This church, dedicated to St. Christopher, is the last remaining building of a monastery founded in the 11th century, and belonging to the Canons Regular of St. Augustine. The earliest reference to the monastery dates from 1103. The monastery existed upto 1443, when it was dissolved The present church is the result of a rebuilding carried out in 1151, as indicated by an inscription on the apse. The side-portal is created in a different artistic style. The tympanum depicts (hard to see) two fighting dragons.

This church, dedicated to St. Christopher, is the last remaining building of a monastery founded in the 11th century, and belonging to the Canons Regular of St. Augustine. The earliest reference to the monastery dates from 1103. The monastery existed upto 1443, when it was dissolved The present church is the result of a rebuilding carried out in 1151, as indicated by an inscription on the apse. This mermaid is on the left side of the side-portal. On the right side lurks a centaur with a bow.

The legend of the Rooster of Barcelos ("Lenda do Galo de Barcelos") tells the story of a dead rooster's miraculous intervention in proving the innocence of a man who had been falsely accused and sentenced to death. According to the legend, silver had been stolen in Barcelos, and the inhabitants of that city were looking for the thieve. A man from Galicia became suspect, despite his pleas of innocence. The Galician swore that he was just passing through Barcelos on a Pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela. The authorities arrested the pilgrim and condemned him to hang, but he asked them to take him in front of the judge who had condemned him. So he was taken to the judge, who was holding a banquet with his friends. Affirming his innocence, the pilgrim pointed to a roasted cock on the table and exclaimed "It is as certain that I am innocent as it is certain that this rooster will crow when they hang me." The judge then not eat the rooster, but he ignored the Galician's appeal. However, while the pilgrim was being hanged, the roasted rooster stood up on the table and crowed. The judge ran to the gallows, to discover that the Galician had been saved from hanging thanks to a poorly made knot in the rope. The man was immediately freed and sent off in peace. Actually the legend exists in different variants along the different "Caminos de Santiago", but here the pilgrim returned to Barcelos and sculpted this "Cruzeiro do Senhor do Galo".

The monastery is known since the second half of the 11th century, got remodeled, enlarged and rconstructed a couple of times during the centuries. It was locked for visitors, as it had to be reconstructed and renovated again in 2013.

A Benedictine convent existed here since ~ 1080. End of the 12th century the monastery got imncorporated into a commandry of the Knights Templar, whom the monks had to pay for protection. Later Augustin Canons lived here until the convent got dissolved and the church converted into a parish church in 1434. The "Igreja de São Salvador", erected within the 12th century, is small, but has wonderful and very unique carvings.

A Benedictine convent existed here since ~ 1080. End of the 12th century the monastery got imncorporated into a commandry of the Knights Templar, whom the monks had to pay for protection. Later Augustin Canons lived here until the convent got dissolved and the church converted into a parish church in 1434. The "Igreja de São Salvador", erected within the 12th century, is small, but has wonderful and very unique carvings.

A Benedictine convent existed here since ~ 1080. End of the 12th century the monastery got imncorporated into a commandry of the Knights Templar, whom the monks had to pay for protection. Later Augustin Canons lived here until the convent got dissolved and the church converted into a parish church in 1434. The "Igreja de São Salvador", erected within the 12th century, is small, but has wonderful and very unique carvings. Here is the western portal.

A Benedictine convent existed here since ~ 1080. End of the 12th century the monastery got imncorporated into a commandry of the Knights Templar, whom the monks had to pay for protection. Later Augustin Canons lived here until the convent got dissolved and the church converted into a parish church in 1434. The "Igreja de São Salvador", erected within the 12th century, is small, but has wonderful and very unique carvings. The (maybe incomplete) tympanum is not that special, as obviously different workshop or masters have worked here. Christ (in a blessing gesture, holding the bible) sits in a mandorla, that is held by two persons. The lintel is supported by two large animal heads. Left is a bovine.

A Benedictine convent existed here since ~ 1080. End of the 12th century the monastery got imncorporated into a commandry of the Knights Templar, whom the monks had to pay for protection. Later Augustin Canons lived here until the convent got dissolved and the church converted into a parish church in 1434. The "Igreja de São Salvador", erected within the 12th century, is small, but has wonderful and very unique carvings. To the very left is one of the animal heads, that supports the lintel. The inner archivolts have geometric patterns, followed by human male and female figures (one holds a walking stick), the monkeys (Manuel L. Real claims "Barbary macaques") - and birds.

A Benedictine convent existed here since ~ 1080. End of the 12th century the monastery got imncorporated into a commandry of the Knights Templar, whom the monks had to pay for protection. Later Augustin Canons lived here until the convent got dissolved and the church converted into a parish church in 1434. The "Igreja de São Salvador", erected within the 12th century, is small, but has wonderful and very unique carvings. The left side of the portal. To the right is the bovine head, that supports the lintel. To the left are the higly complex capitals - and just like on the right side (prev. upload) the archivolts with geometric patterns, followed by human male and female figures, the monkeys (Manuel L. Real claims "Barbary macaques") - and the birds.

A Benedictine convent existed here since ~ 1080. End of the 12th century the monastery got imncorporated into a commandry of the Knights Templar, whom the monks had to pay for protection. Later Augustin Canons lived here until the convent got dissolved and the church converted into a parish church in 1434. The "Igreja de São Salvador", erected within the 12th century, is small, but has wonderful and very unique carvings. The side portals are less elaborate than the main portal (see prev. uploads). Here is a pretty roughly carved "Agnus Dei" - and two remarkable lion heads, that support the lintel.

The Igreja de São Salvador (aka "Igreja de Paderne") is located in Paderne, now part of larger Melgaço. A monastery was founded here in 1130, sponsored by Paterna, a noble widow, who then joined the convent with her daughters. Later Augustine canons lived here until the monastery got dissolved in 1770. The church got reconstructed and remodeled a couple of times and now serves the parish. The church has two western portals, so that it seems first, that here are two churches side by side.

The Igreja de São Salvador (aka "Igreja de Paderne") is located in Paderne, now part of larger Melgaço. A monastery was founded here in 1130, sponsored by Paterna, a noble widow, who then joined the convent with her daughters. Later Augustine canons lived here until the monastery got dissolved in 1770. The church got reconstructed and remodeled a couple of times and now serves the parish. The church has two western portals, so that it seems first, that here are two churches side by side. Here is the larger, central portal, - seen in pouring rain. The archivolts have geometric patterns.