It is located next to the Lima River and at the beginning of Ponte Antiga, in the parish of Arcozelo, Vila de Ponte de Lima, district of Viana do Castelo, Northern Portugal
History of the Church of Santo António da Torre Velha
The primitive temple dates back to an ancient hermitage documented since the 18th century under the invocation of Our Lady of Hope and later of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.
Its current appearance results from a reformulation carried out at the beginning of the 19th century when its volume was increased.
The church and the tower of the original medieval fence cohabited until the mid-19th century when the latter was demolished, giving rise to the name "Igreja de Santo António da Torre Velha".
The Church of Santo António is a building on an old hermitage that was expanded in the 19th century and took on the name by which it is known today.
Its current appearance results from a reformulation carried out at the beginning of the 19th century when its volume was increased.
The church and the tower of the original medieval fence cohabited until the mid-19th century when the latter was demolished, giving rise to the name "Igreja de Santo António da Torre Velha".
The Church of Santo António is a building on an old hermitage that was expanded in the 19th century and took on the name by which it is known today.
Characteristics of the Church of Santo António da Torre Velha
The Church has a longitudinal plan composed of a nave, chancel and rectangular sacristy attached to the second volume and followed by the quadrangular bell tower.
The volumes are articulated with differentiated gable roof coverings in the nave, chancel and sacristy and a gable roof in the body of access to the sacristy finished in a simple edge.
Visitors can see it when crossing the Roman Bridge of Ponte de Lima and at night they can see it illuminated by lights that can be seen from the historic center of the town.
The Church of Santo António da Torre Velha has an interrupted curved pediment and pinnacles topping the side pilasters, with the remaining facade covered in tiles and the interior has a nave, chancel and sacristy.
The facades are painted white and the body is attached to the left side facade, which is made of exposed granite covered by stonework with pillared corners crowned by pinnacles on parallelepiped plinths topped with a frieze and cornice.
The main facade with a counter-curved pediment is crowned by a Latin cross covered in blue and white tiles and torn by a straight lintel portal and topped by a molding, a cut-out oculus and two small rectangular grilled windows.
The side facades have three panels, defined by pilasters, with a rectangular window with curved tops opening in the nave, in the main chapel two windows with a curved top frame and pendants, and in the sacristy a curved lintel window and a reclining rectangular window topped by a bay window, with a curved profile, a frame and an iron guard, on the right side.
On the rear facade, the bell tower stands out, with three registers, defined by a frieze and cornice, topped with a hollow stonework platband with fires on parallelepiped plinths on the corners with a faceted bulbous dome roof crowned by an iron cross; in the angles under the finial there are cannon gargoyles.
At the rear, the square bell tower stands out with four bells topped with a bulbous dome and crowned by an iron cross and the presence of gargoyles at each angle.
In the first register there is a window with a curved frame and false straight earrings, in the second register there is a circular oculus with a quadrangular frame containing vegetal motifs on the side and a circular stonework clock, in the third register a window in a round arch with a relief key containing a bell opens on each side.
Interior with plastered and white-painted walls, with ceramic flooring and false stucco barrel vault covering over frieze and cornice.
The nave has a wooden windshield and blue and white tiles with a vegetal pattern and two lateral carved altarpieces painted in beige with fake and gold marble.
The perfect arched triumphal arch is surmounted by a carved valance painted in beige and gold.
The main chapel has ashlar made of polychrome tiles and on the roof there are several painted cartouches and on the central axis there is a niche containing a painted canvas with Saint Anthony and the Child surmounted by the Dove of the Holy Spirit.
The volumes are articulated with differentiated gable roof coverings in the nave, chancel and sacristy and a gable roof in the body of access to the sacristy finished in a simple edge.
Visitors can see it when crossing the Roman Bridge of Ponte de Lima and at night they can see it illuminated by lights that can be seen from the historic center of the town.
The Church of Santo António da Torre Velha has an interrupted curved pediment and pinnacles topping the side pilasters, with the remaining facade covered in tiles and the interior has a nave, chancel and sacristy.
The facades are painted white and the body is attached to the left side facade, which is made of exposed granite covered by stonework with pillared corners crowned by pinnacles on parallelepiped plinths topped with a frieze and cornice.
The main facade with a counter-curved pediment is crowned by a Latin cross covered in blue and white tiles and torn by a straight lintel portal and topped by a molding, a cut-out oculus and two small rectangular grilled windows.
The side facades have three panels, defined by pilasters, with a rectangular window with curved tops opening in the nave, in the main chapel two windows with a curved top frame and pendants, and in the sacristy a curved lintel window and a reclining rectangular window topped by a bay window, with a curved profile, a frame and an iron guard, on the right side.
On the rear facade, the bell tower stands out, with three registers, defined by a frieze and cornice, topped with a hollow stonework platband with fires on parallelepiped plinths on the corners with a faceted bulbous dome roof crowned by an iron cross; in the angles under the finial there are cannon gargoyles.
At the rear, the square bell tower stands out with four bells topped with a bulbous dome and crowned by an iron cross and the presence of gargoyles at each angle.
In the first register there is a window with a curved frame and false straight earrings, in the second register there is a circular oculus with a quadrangular frame containing vegetal motifs on the side and a circular stonework clock, in the third register a window in a round arch with a relief key containing a bell opens on each side.
Interior with plastered and white-painted walls, with ceramic flooring and false stucco barrel vault covering over frieze and cornice.
The nave has a wooden windshield and blue and white tiles with a vegetal pattern and two lateral carved altarpieces painted in beige with fake and gold marble.
The perfect arched triumphal arch is surmounted by a carved valance painted in beige and gold.
The main chapel has ashlar made of polychrome tiles and on the roof there are several painted cartouches and on the central axis there is a niche containing a painted canvas with Saint Anthony and the Child surmounted by the Dove of the Holy Spirit.
