Structure edit

The church is located 571 metres (1,873 ft) above sea level^[2] and has a longitudinal floor plan comprising a single nave with concave angles and rectangular chancel and is set in a NE - SE direction. The volumes are articulated according to differentiated roofs, with gable roofs (nave and chancel) and hipped roofs (chapel and sacristy).^[3]

Adding to the body of the church, a side chapel and sacristy are located to the SO. Facing NE, the undulating main facade is convex and covered in blue and white azulejos.^[3] The curves end up having little impact on the internal spatiality, since the division between the vestibule and nave is very sharp.^[4] Its facade also contains a portal, a bay window and two narrow windows crowned by a tympanum with a clock, topped by a cross and flanked by two statues on each side.^[3]

On a slightly recessed level, there are two slender bell towers topped by pyramidal corbels. It stands on a terrace, served by a staircase with several flights and a balustrade with pinnacles, flanked by pedestals with statues.^[3]

Inside, the church is filled with fourteen mother-of-pearl framed paintings depicting the Way of the Cross in polychrome 18th century French engravings. There is also a processional flag painted by the Swiss artist Auguste Roquemont [pt]. The altarpiece and the dais were made by the master carver José António da Cunha.^[5] The two sculptures flanking the main staircase represent James the Great and Saint Bartholomew.^[3]

It is described as being a church with “a nave with concave curves at the corners and a slight convex curve on the façade” and “serious, simple and plain ornaments”.^[6]

Oratories edit

The Oratories, also known as Passos, are small temples that form a Way of the Cross, depicting the steps of the Passion of Jesus Christ. Within these structures, life-size figures sculpted from polychrome wood vividly portray scenes from the Passion. All of the Oratories are constructed using granite and are situated throughout the Historic Centre of Guimarães as part of the Santos Passos Church complex. Each oratory is equipped with large wooden exterior shutters allowing them to be securely closed when necessary, as well as a small sign with info about the respective oratory.^[3]

Originaly there was a total of seven different Oratories, however, due to the growth of the city, some had to be moved or outright destroyed.^[7] Nowadays five Oratories remain, two at the Campo da Feira, one at the Misericórdia Square, one in the Santa Maria Street and one at the Carmo Square.^[3]

Materials edit

The church's exterior walls are constructed from granite masonry and coated with fine sand on both the exterior and interior surfaces. Similarly, the ceilings in the nave and chancel are also plastered.^[3]

The main façade is adorned with azulejos, while the bell towers are constructed using exposed granite masonry. Tiled paneling decorates the nave, and both the floor of the nave and the chancel are covered in ceramic mosaic with granite accents.^[3]

The sacristy is clad in oilcloth and its ceiling is finished in stucco. The celling also has a wooden structure covered in clay tiles.^[3] The main staircase and balustrade are made of granite, and so are the four statues on top of the tympanum.^[3]

Predecessors edit

The site on which the Santos Passos Church now stands, was originally occupied by a hermitage church made to honor Our Lady of Consolation,^[3] built in March 1576.^[2] It was later replaced by a small chapel preceded by a large porch with stone seats^[8] built in 1594 by order of Duarte Sodré.^[9]

By the early 1700s, the chapel was ruined and a safety hazard.^[9] The Irmandade dos Santos Passos, a fraternal organization founded on 13 November 1594^[11][12] and owner of the chapel, ordered the construction of a “bigger and richer building” on top of the decayed structure.^[9]

In the first quarter of the 1700s, that small chapel was demolished and another, larger chapel was built in its place, however, the work remained half-finished^[8] since the construction took longer and was more difficult than originally thought.^[9] Due to the construction problems, the frontispiece's construction never began,^[8] but nevertheless, the image of Our Lady of Consolation was placed on the high altar and the customary worship was reinstated.^[10] In 1727, seven Oratories were constructed across the city by the Irmandade, but only five remain to this day.^[7]

Years later, the Irmandade dos Santos Passos recognised the many inconveniences and lack of respect that arose from the incomplete chapel, so they decided to build a wall to close it off in 1767.^[10]

The chapel didn’t stay abandoned for long, as the Irmandade decided that they would either do a complete reconstruction of the building or just start all over and begin the construction of a completely new structure.^[10]

Construction edit

Body and apse edit

The Irmandade chose to start the construction of a new bigger church instead of rebuilding and expanding the previous incomplete chapel,^[10] and the Galician Pedro Lourenço bought the construction works at an auction.^[9] In 1769, the floor plan of the church was made by the renowned architect André Soares.^[13] André Soares drew inspiration from one of his previous projects, the Igreja da Lapa [pt], constructed some years earlier in Arcos de Valdevez, when designing the facade of the church.^[14] The Santos Passos Church was his last work, as he died that same year.^[15][16] André Soares' death may have prevented him from designing the interior as well, although the plan followed seems to have respected the architect's project.^[5]

On the Count of Vila Pouca Theatre, also at the Campo da Feira, shows and plays were performed regularly so that the money raised could be used in aiding the construction efforts of the church.^[17]

On 18 October 1785 the body of the church was finished and it was blessed that same year. Construction of the apse only started in 1789.^[9] The section of the Medieval Walls of Guimarães that surrounded the Toural was demolished in 1789,^[18][19] enabling the reuse of its stones in the construction of the church's apse. The apse's construction was concluded nine years later, in 1798.^[9]

The master stonemasons Vicente José Carvalho^[20] and Diogo Soares contributed in the church’s construction, with Soares being in charge of making the construction's budget^[21][22] and Carvalho getting control of the whole project in 10 April 1773.^[20][23]

It is very likely that the Santos Passos Church was sacked and looted during the Napoleonic Invasion of northern Portugal in 1809, as it was located outside the city walls.^[24]

Expansions and bell towers edit

In 1861, a side chapel attached to the main structure, was built on the right side of the apse to venerate Nosso Senhor dos Passos [pt].^[9]

The bell towers were not present in André Soares' drawings and, according to many engravings of that time, including a lithograph drawing by George Vivian,^[25] the initial appearance of the church façade was more open, making the central section stand out and increasing the dynamic scenic effect caused by the undulation of the wall.^[14] In 28 May 1862, the construction of the bell towers was initiated,^[3] a project by Porto's architect Pedro Ferreira.^[9]

After the Count of Vila Pouca Theatre was burned down on the night of 18 January 1841,^[17] the Afonso Henriques Theatre was built to replace it in 1853 and was inaugurated 2 years later.^[26] This new theatre, as did its predecessor, contributed in the completion of the church by donating the funds they received out of plays and magic lantern slide shows.^[17] In 22 April 1863, the play “O Veterano Mateus”, the song “O Sebastianista” and the comedy “A Actriz” were played exclusively to raise money for the construction of the church's bell towers.^[27] There was plenty of attendants and the city's music played outside the theatre.^[27]

The towers were completed in 1875^[9] and in 28 May of that same year, exactly 14 years after the construction of the towers began, they were given a new set of bells that were also blessed.^[3] Some deem the towers disproportionate to the whole, eliminating the unity of the original façade.^[5] The size of the disproportionally big towers was further accentuated by the surrounding area, at the time filled with low houses.^[28] The granite sculptures that decorated the bridge that runs along the axis of the church were later transferred to the church's facade,^[29] and its frontispiece was covered in azulejos.^[28]

The current staircase in front of the church also dates back to the mid-19th century, with its balustrades that transmit with a strong scenographic effect.^[28]

Interior edit

Inside the church, the neoclassical altarpiece in the chancel, painted trying to copy marble, was made by António José da Cunha in 1793.^[9]

The four altarpieces in the nave, by an unknown author, are the transitions between the rocaille and the neoclassical styles and feature panels depicting scenes from the life of Christ. They were already ready in 1798, since that year the painters Marcelo Caetano da Silva and Manuel José Coimbra, both from Guimarães, were hired to paint and gild them.^[9]

Modern times edit

Preservation Status edit

Although the surroundings of the Santos Passos Church have significantly changed across the last few centuries, the church itself remains a testament of times long gone. It is easier for religious buildings to withstand the test of time compared to others, but thanks to years of conservation efforts and restoration works, the building remains in pristine condition.^[3]

The Santos Passos Church is located on the Historic Centre of Guimarães, a World Heritage Site of UNESCO since 2001.^[30] It was declared a Public Interest Building along with its oratories via the decree n°4593, D.R. 280 of 30 November 1993.^[31]

The Historic Centre of Guimarães is an example of the authenticity of our past and the genesis of the Portuguese nation. Its elevation to World Cultural Heritage will recognise the preservation of this authenticity. Portugal, the oldest nation in Europe and Guimarães, its first capital, has earned this honour. It will be an expression of the importance of Historical Heritage throughout the world and a stimulus for all those who have been committed to its defence.

— António Magalhães (1998), Guimarães Cidade Património Mundial: Um Objectivo Estratétigo [Guimarães World Heritage City: A Strategic Objective], ^[32]

Procession of Nosso Senhor dos Passos edit

The Procession of the Nosso Senhor dos Santos Passos is a national-wide event, but in Guimarães it is organized by the Irmandade dos Santos Passos and starts at the Santos Passos Church, runs through the Historic Center of Guimarães (namely the São Dâmaso Boulevard and the Toural, then up to Misericórdia Square) and then returns at the end back to the Santos Passos Church.^[33]

It usually takes place every year in March or April, regardless of the weather.^[34]

• Guimarães
• Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Oliveira
• List of religious buildings in Guimarães
• Religion in Portugal
•   Media related to Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Consolação e Santos Passos at Wikimedia Commons

• Smith, Robert C. (1968). "A Casa da Câmara de Braga (1753-1756)", Bracara Augusta (in Portuguese). Vol. XXII. Braga. pp. 283–320.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
• Smith, Robert C. (1973). André Soares, arquitecto do Minho [André Soares, architect of the Minho Region] (in Portuguese). Lisbon.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
• Caldas, Antonio José Ferreira (1881). Guimarães: apontamentos para a sua historia (in Portuguese). Typ. de A. J. da Silva Teixeira.
• Gandra, Manuel J. (1973). "Guimarães", Dicionário da Arte Barroca em Portugal ["Guimarães", Dictionary of Baroque art in Portugal] (in Portuguese). Lisbon.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
• Oliveira, Eduardo Pires de (2003). Os alvores do rococó em Guimarães e outros estudos sobre o barroco e o rococó do Minho (in Portuguese). Braga: APPACDM Distrital de Braga. pp. 15–61.
• Pais da Silva, Jorge Henrique (1993). Páginas de História da Arte [Art History Pages] (in Portuguese). Vol. II. Lisbon: Editorial Estampa.
• Pereira, José Fernandes (1989). "SOARES, André", Dicionário da Arte Barroca em Portugal ["SOARES, André", Dictionary of Baroque art in Portugal] (in Portuguese). Lisbon.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
• Pina, Luiz de (1933). O Castelo de Guimarães [The Castle of Guimarães] (in Portuguese). Vila Nova de Gaia: Edições Pátria.
• Serrão, Vítor (2003). História da Arte em Portugal. O Barroco [History of Art in Portugal. The Baroque]. Lisbon: Editorial Presença.
• Sousa Bastos, Antonio (1908). Diccionario do theatro portuguez (in Portuguese). Robarts - University of Toronto. Lisboa Imprensa Libanio da Silva.

• "Santos Passos Church's page on the SIPA website".
• "Santos Passos Church's page on the IGESPAR website".
• Photos of the Santos Passos Church on Wikimedia Commons.
• "Page with photos of the Santos Passos Church and other churches in Guimarães on istockphoto.com".