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Church of Nossa Senhora do Rosário (Lajes)

Coordinates: 39°22′41.7″N 31°10′27.3″W / 39.378250°N 31.174250°W / 39.378250; -31.174250
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Church of Nossa Senhora do Rosário
Church of Our Lady of the Rosary
Igreja da Nossa Senhora do Rosário
Map
39°22′41.7″N 31°10′27.3″W / 39.378250°N 31.174250°W / 39.378250; -31.174250
LocationFlores, Western, Azores
CountryPortugal
DenominationRoman Catholic
History
DedicationVirgin Mary
Architecture
StyleRevivalist
Administration
DioceseDiocese of Angra

The Church of Nossa Senhora do Rosário (Portuguese: Igreja Paroquial de Lajes das Flores/Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Rosário) is an 18th-century church located in the civil parish of Lajes in the municipality of Lajes das Flores, in the Portuguese island of Flores, in the archipelago of the Azores.

History

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The imposing three-storey facade of the church, with its double bell towers

In 1515, Lajes was elevated to the status of town.[1]

Sometime in the 16th century, the Hermitage of Espírito Santo (Divine Holy Spirit) which was located near the port was moved to the town, owing to a similar temple in the port.[1]

On 25 July 1587, the primitive parochial church of Lajes, situated in the location occupied by the municipal cemetery was burned-down by English privateers, that landed five ships whose troops sacked the town and surrounding countryside.[1]

By 1717, the parish included only 300 homes.[1] Between 1763 and 1783, the actual church was raised on the site occupied by the Hermitage of Espírito Santo.[1]

By 1800, there were 486 inhabitants comprising 75 homes and the parochial church within the town limits.[1] Its vicar received a stipend of 7 bushels of wheat, 4 alqueires of wheat and 8$000 réis to support his services to the community.[1]

In the middle of the 19th century, the church was renovated, followed by embellishments in the 1880s.[1] At the beginning of the 20th century, the lateral retables were installed (1908), executed by the Florentinos António de Maurício de Fraga and Francisco José Pimentel.[1] It would be another few decades before these retables were guided by the Micaelense artisan António Jacinto Carreiro (in the 1960s).[1]

Architecture

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The church is located in the centre of the town, situated within a group of builds of the historic town, that include the Municipal Palace/Hall, the old Naval Radio-Telegraphic Station of Flores, as well as a short distance from the lighthouse of Lajes.[1] It occupies a level courtyard and garden limited by minor wall.[2]

The rectangular building has a principal facade that integrates two large, rectangular bell towers, long single-nave and auxiliary annexes that correspond to the sacristy.[1][2]

References

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Notes

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Noé, Paula (2011), SIPA (ed.), Igreja Paroquial de Lajes das Flores/Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Rosário (IPA.00032436/PT072003050011) (in Portuguese), Lisbon, Portugal: SIPA – Sistema de Informação para o Património Arquitectónico, retrieved 21 December 2016
  2. ^ a b DRC, ed. (9 September 2003), "82.22.45 Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Rosário", Inventário do Património Imóvel dos Açores, Angra do Heroísmo (Azores), Portugal: Direção Regional da Cultura

Sources

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  • Gomes, Francisco António Nunes Pimentel (1997), A ilha das Flores: Da redescoberta à actualidade (Subsídios para a sua História) (in Portuguese), Câmara Municipal de Lajes das Flores
  • Câmara Municipal, ed. (1997), Revista Municipal (in Portuguese), Câmara Municipal das Lajes das Flores
  • Câmara Municipal, ed. (1997), Revista Municipal (in Portuguese), Câmara Municipal das Lajes das Flores