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Convent of São José, Lagoa (Algarve)
Encyclopedia
The Convent of Saint Joseph (Portuguese: Convento de São José) in the city of Lagoa (Algarve)
, Portugal, was built on the north edge of the old town, with its belvedere
tower straddling the main road north to Silves. It is currently the city’s cultural centre and hosts exhibitions of painting, photography, sculpture and pottery, as well as various shows and discussions in its auditorium.
order of nuns, who fostered and educated abandoned girls. There still exists a “baby wheel”
or “foundling
wheel” in the convent for the anonymous relinquishing of unwanted babies. The original building was seriously damaged in the 1755 Earthquake
and was rebuilt thereafter.
In 1834 the government of Portugal suppressed all religious orders and monastic houses in the country. The institution continued to function as a foster home, probably as an “Association of Poor Girls”. In 1876, after church-state relations had been more or less normalized, the convent was re-opened as a girl’s school by a number of Third Order Dominican Sisters (or non-cloistered nuns). The establishment was well supported both in terms of recruitment and money by the local community. (While the law still forbade cloistered convents, “third order” institutions – including schools – under the jurisdiction of the ecclesiastical dioceses were allowed.) The school normally had about 30 boarders and 60 day students.
After the founding of the Portuguese First Republic
in 1910, there was a formal separation of church and state under which the state took over all educational functions; the Convent was closed and the building came into the hands of the Comissão Jurisdicional dos Bens das Extintas Congregações Religiosas (Legal Commission for the Assets of Extinct Religious Congregations). At that time the São José convent was the only one in the Algarve. Much of the contents were sold or stolen; very few remain in Lagoa today.
In 1924 the building and grounds were purchased from the Comissão by the town of Lagoa
which used it as a primary school up until the 1970s when a new purpose-built school was opened. At various times space in the convent was used for public offices – offices for the civil parish/Freguesia
of Lagoa, for the engineering and service departments – and for storage. The chapel was used as the Civil Registry Office up to about 1940 after which it was restored and used for religious services. In 1961-1963 it functioned as the main town church while the principal church (Igreja Matriz
) was being renovated. Services ended in the chapel in 1974 due to reduced attendance.
The chapel was renovated in 1989 at which time whatever of the original furnishings could be found were also restored and returned. The rest of the building was restored during 1992 and 1993 and the complex was re-opened on 27 May 1993 as the town’s cultural centre. The Freguesia of Lagoa still has its offices in part of the old building.
, 6 more altars in the side arch
es, and Ionic
-style pilasters. This is more or less the shape it has today. Among the restored furnishings there are carved altar-pieces and an image of the patron saint, Saint Joseph
with the Christ Child (18th century).
In front of the building is a belvedere
tower built on an archway over the street. The bell gable has two bells, one 55 x 64 cm, weighing 190 kg and dated 1794; the second is 33 x 37 cm and weighs 34 kg. The original entrance to the convent was to the left of the tower (with a vestibule and parlor as well as the baby wheel
); this area now houses the freguesia
offices. A new entrance has been constructed to the right of the tower in what used to be the vestry courtyard. The cloister has a subterranean cistern to catch rain water; it is accessed by an octagonal “well” in its centre. Many of the rooms around the cloister (on both floors) have been opened up and converted into connected exhibition rooms. An auditorium was added during the last renovations.
In the entrance garden is a menhir
, found in the Areias das Almas, Porches
, dated to sometime between 5000 and 4000 B.C. It was discovered during an archeological dig in 1975-76 by Varela Gomes.
Lagoa (Algarve)
Lagoa Municipality is a Portuguese municipality in Faro District, in the region known as the Algarve, with about 6,100 inhabitants.Its seat is the city of Lagoa....
, Portugal, was built on the north edge of the old town, with its belvedere
Belvedere (structure)
Belvedere is an architectural term adopted from Italian , which refers to any architectural structure sited to take advantage of such a view. A belvedere may be built in the upper part of a building so as to command a fine view...
tower straddling the main road north to Silves. It is currently the city’s cultural centre and hosts exhibitions of painting, photography, sculpture and pottery, as well as various shows and discussions in its auditorium.
History
The convent appears to have been founded sometime between 1710 and 1713 (it is known to be existence in 1730), by members of the CarmeliteCarmelites
The Order of the Brothers of Our Lady of Mount Carmel or Carmelites is a Catholic religious order perhaps founded in the 12th century on Mount Carmel, hence its name. However, historical records about its origin remain uncertain...
order of nuns, who fostered and educated abandoned girls. There still exists a “baby wheel”
Baby hatch
A baby hatch is a place where mothers can bring their babies, usually newborn, and leave them anonymously in a safe place to be found and cared for. This kind of arrangement was common in mediaeval times and in the 18th and 19th centuries, when the device was known as a foundling wheel...
or “foundling
Child abandonment
Child abandonment is the practice of relinquishing interests and claims over one's offspring with the intent of never again resuming or reasserting them. Causes include many social and cultural factors as well as mental illness. An abandoned child is called a foundling .-Causes:Poverty is often a...
wheel” in the convent for the anonymous relinquishing of unwanted babies. The original building was seriously damaged in the 1755 Earthquake
1755 Lisbon earthquake
The 1755 Lisbon earthquake, also known as the Great Lisbon Earthquake, was a megathrust earthquake that took place on Saturday 1 November 1755, at around 9:40 in the morning. The earthquake was followed by fires and a tsunami, which almost totally destroyed Lisbon in the Kingdom of Portugal, and...
and was rebuilt thereafter.
In 1834 the government of Portugal suppressed all religious orders and monastic houses in the country. The institution continued to function as a foster home, probably as an “Association of Poor Girls”. In 1876, after church-state relations had been more or less normalized, the convent was re-opened as a girl’s school by a number of Third Order Dominican Sisters (or non-cloistered nuns). The establishment was well supported both in terms of recruitment and money by the local community. (While the law still forbade cloistered convents, “third order” institutions – including schools – under the jurisdiction of the ecclesiastical dioceses were allowed.) The school normally had about 30 boarders and 60 day students.
After the founding of the Portuguese First Republic
Portuguese First Republic
The Portuguese First Republic spans a complex 16 year period in the history of Portugal, between the end of the period of constitutional monarchy marked by the 5 October 1910 revolution and the 28 May coup d'état of 1926...
in 1910, there was a formal separation of church and state under which the state took over all educational functions; the Convent was closed and the building came into the hands of the Comissão Jurisdicional dos Bens das Extintas Congregações Religiosas (Legal Commission for the Assets of Extinct Religious Congregations). At that time the São José convent was the only one in the Algarve. Much of the contents were sold or stolen; very few remain in Lagoa today.
In 1924 the building and grounds were purchased from the Comissão by the town of Lagoa
Lagoa (Algarve)
Lagoa Municipality is a Portuguese municipality in Faro District, in the region known as the Algarve, with about 6,100 inhabitants.Its seat is the city of Lagoa....
which used it as a primary school up until the 1970s when a new purpose-built school was opened. At various times space in the convent was used for public offices – offices for the civil parish/Freguesia
Freguesia
Freguesia is the Portuguese term for a secondary local administrative unit in Portugal and some of its former colonies, and a former secondary local administrative unit in Macau, roughly equivalent to an administrative parish. A freguesia is a subdivision of a concelho, the Portuguese synonym term...
of Lagoa, for the engineering and service departments – and for storage. The chapel was used as the Civil Registry Office up to about 1940 after which it was restored and used for religious services. In 1961-1963 it functioned as the main town church while the principal church (Igreja Matriz
Igreja Matriz (Lagoa)
The Igreja Matriz of Lagoa is situated in the heart of the city. It is dedicated to Our Lady of Light .-History and design:...
) was being renovated. Services ended in the chapel in 1974 due to reduced attendance.
The chapel was renovated in 1989 at which time whatever of the original furnishings could be found were also restored and returned. The rest of the building was restored during 1992 and 1993 and the complex was re-opened on 27 May 1993 as the town’s cultural centre. The Freguesia of Lagoa still has its offices in part of the old building.
Description
Built originally of limestone with lime mortar, the convent has been altered many times since its construction. The small chapel was restored in the mid-19th century by Luís Antonio Maravilhas; his design included a vaulted roof, a main altarAltar
An altar is any structure upon which offerings such as sacrifices are made for religious purposes. Altars are usually found at shrines, and they can be located in temples, churches and other places of worship...
, 6 more altars in the side arch
Arch
An arch is a structure that spans a space and supports a load. Arches appeared as early as the 2nd millennium BC in Mesopotamian brick architecture and their systematic use started with the Ancient Romans who were the first to apply the technique to a wide range of structures.-Technical aspects:The...
es, and Ionic
Ionic order
The Ionic order forms one of the three orders or organizational systems of classical architecture, the other two canonic orders being the Doric and the Corinthian...
-style pilasters. This is more or less the shape it has today. Among the restored furnishings there are carved altar-pieces and an image of the patron saint, Saint Joseph
Saint Joseph
Saint Joseph is a figure in the Gospels, the husband of the Virgin Mary and the earthly father of Jesus Christ ....
with the Christ Child (18th century).
In front of the building is a belvedere
Belvedere (structure)
Belvedere is an architectural term adopted from Italian , which refers to any architectural structure sited to take advantage of such a view. A belvedere may be built in the upper part of a building so as to command a fine view...
tower built on an archway over the street. The bell gable has two bells, one 55 x 64 cm, weighing 190 kg and dated 1794; the second is 33 x 37 cm and weighs 34 kg. The original entrance to the convent was to the left of the tower (with a vestibule and parlor as well as the baby wheel
Baby hatch
A baby hatch is a place where mothers can bring their babies, usually newborn, and leave them anonymously in a safe place to be found and cared for. This kind of arrangement was common in mediaeval times and in the 18th and 19th centuries, when the device was known as a foundling wheel...
); this area now houses the freguesia
Freguesia
Freguesia is the Portuguese term for a secondary local administrative unit in Portugal and some of its former colonies, and a former secondary local administrative unit in Macau, roughly equivalent to an administrative parish. A freguesia is a subdivision of a concelho, the Portuguese synonym term...
offices. A new entrance has been constructed to the right of the tower in what used to be the vestry courtyard. The cloister has a subterranean cistern to catch rain water; it is accessed by an octagonal “well” in its centre. Many of the rooms around the cloister (on both floors) have been opened up and converted into connected exhibition rooms. An auditorium was added during the last renovations.
In the entrance garden is a menhir
Menhir
A menhir is a large upright standing stone. Menhirs may be found singly as monoliths, or as part of a group of similar stones. Their size can vary considerably; but their shape is generally uneven and squared, often tapering towards the top...
, found in the Areias das Almas, Porches
Porches (Lagoa)
Porches is a civil parish/freguesia in the municipality/concelho of Lagoa in Portugal, about 10 km east of the city of Lagoa. It is 15.57 km² in area, with 1,901 inhabitants ; its population density is 122.1 persons/km²...
, dated to sometime between 5000 and 4000 B.C. It was discovered during an archeological dig in 1975-76 by Varela Gomes.