São Vicente (Abrantes)
Encyclopedia
São Vicente is a Portuguese
civil parish, located in municipality of Abrantes, in the older Santarém District, and which includes the northern part of the city of Abrantes
. The parish has a population of just over 10698 inhabitants and an area less than 40 km²; although it is the fifth largest in the municipality and third densest, it is the most populated parish in the municipality.
. The ancient church of São Vicente was founded in 1149, after Afonso Henriques took Abrantes Castle
, but it subsequently received damage from Moorish attacks and was rebuilt.
It was known until 1150, as the parish of Nossa Senhora da Conceição and reconsecrated by the first alcaide from permission obtained from Afonso Henriques (a reliquiry of São Vicente Mártir was installed in the church). The church was reconstructed under the initiative of King Sebastião, a project that concluded in 1590 under Philip I, completed and elaborated in the mannerist style.
It became a priory
and vicary
of the Royal Prior, Father Carvalho e Avelino de Almeida, but by 1758 these institutions (including many of the religious parishes of Abrantes, such as São Pedro and Santa Maria do Castelo) were under the protection of the Marquis of Abrantes. Parish records for 1862 refer to São Vicente being passed on to the Marquis of Abrantes by the Order of Christ. The vicar of São Vicente represented the clergy of São Pedro de Alvega, São Silvestre de Aboboreira, Santa Eufémia de Rio de Moinhos and Santa Luzia do Pego, alternately with the parish of São João Baptista which was the seat of the adjunct, treasury and administration of the diocese.
The parish administration of São Vicente was merged with that of Santa Maria do Castelo around 1834, although records for the latter continued until 1774.
Today, the religious parish is part of the diocese of Portalegre-Castelo Branco.
(to the north), Alferrarede
(to the east), São João
(to the southeast), São Miguel do Rio Torto
(in the southe), Tramagal
(in the southwest), Rio de Moinhos and Aldeia do Mato
(to the west) and Souto (to the northwest), as well as the municipality of Sardoal
(in the northeast). It has as its border the right margin of the Tagus River, which it shares with São Miguel do Rio Torto and Tramagal.
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
civil parish, located in municipality of Abrantes, in the older Santarém District, and which includes the northern part of the city of Abrantes
Abrantes
Abrantes is a municipality in Portugal, with a population of 41,560 inhabitants, located on the southern margin of the Tagus River.-History:...
. The parish has a population of just over 10698 inhabitants and an area less than 40 km²; although it is the fifth largest in the municipality and third densest, it is the most populated parish in the municipality.
History
A parish of São Vicente is the principal religious organ of the community of Abrantes, and its foundation dates back to the GothsGoths
The Goths were an East Germanic tribe of Scandinavian origin whose two branches, the Visigoths and the Ostrogoths, played an important role in the fall of the Roman Empire and the emergence of Medieval Europe....
. The ancient church of São Vicente was founded in 1149, after Afonso Henriques took Abrantes Castle
Abrantes Castle
The Castle of Abrantes overlooks the city of Abrantes, in the municipality of Abrantes in the district of Santarém, Ribatejo, divided between the two civil parishes of São João and São Vicente...
, but it subsequently received damage from Moorish attacks and was rebuilt.
It was known until 1150, as the parish of Nossa Senhora da Conceição and reconsecrated by the first alcaide from permission obtained from Afonso Henriques (a reliquiry of São Vicente Mártir was installed in the church). The church was reconstructed under the initiative of King Sebastião, a project that concluded in 1590 under Philip I, completed and elaborated in the mannerist style.
It became a priory
Priory
A priory is a house of men or women under religious vows that is headed by a prior or prioress. Priories may be houses of mendicant friars or religious sisters , or monasteries of monks or nuns .The Benedictines and their offshoots , the Premonstratensians, and the...
and vicary
Vicary
Vicary may refer to:People with the given name Vicary:* Vicary Gibbs , English judge and politician* Vicary Gibbs, 6th Baron Aldenham , British peer...
of the Royal Prior, Father Carvalho e Avelino de Almeida, but by 1758 these institutions (including many of the religious parishes of Abrantes, such as São Pedro and Santa Maria do Castelo) were under the protection of the Marquis of Abrantes. Parish records for 1862 refer to São Vicente being passed on to the Marquis of Abrantes by the Order of Christ. The vicar of São Vicente represented the clergy of São Pedro de Alvega, São Silvestre de Aboboreira, Santa Eufémia de Rio de Moinhos and Santa Luzia do Pego, alternately with the parish of São João Baptista which was the seat of the adjunct, treasury and administration of the diocese.
The parish administration of São Vicente was merged with that of Santa Maria do Castelo around 1834, although records for the latter continued until 1774.
Today, the religious parish is part of the diocese of Portalegre-Castelo Branco.
Geography
The long and narrow parish of São Vicente, which includes the northern half of the city of Abrantes, is mostly a large rural community. Its immediate neighbors are the Abrantes parishes of CarvalhalCarvalhal (Abrantes)
Carvalhal is a Portuguese parish, located in Abrantes Municipality, in Santarém District. The parish has a population of 1,006 inhabitants and a total area of 17.45 km² ....
(to the north), Alferrarede
Alferrarede
Alferrarede is a Portuguese civil parish, located in the municipality of Abrantes, in Santarém District, with a population of 3831 inhabitants dispersed within an area of 23.62 km²; it is the eleventh largest parish, third largest population centre and fifth largest population...
(to the east), São João
São João
São João is Portuguese for "Saint John", and may refer to many saints that have used that name, but also the Apostle John of the New Testament specifically, in addition to:-Architecture:*Forte de São João...
(to the southeast), São Miguel do Rio Torto
São Miguel do Rio Torto
São Miguel do Rio Torto is a Portuguese parish, located in Abrantes Municipality, in Santarém District. It stands on the left bank of the Tagus River...
(in the southe), Tramagal
Tramagal
Tramagal is a Portuguese parish, located in Abrantes Municipality, in Santarém District. The parish has a population of 4,043 and a total area of 24.06 km². The parish is the second-most populous in the municipality....
(in the southwest), Rio de Moinhos and Aldeia do Mato
Aldeia do Mato
Aldeia do Mato is a Portuguese civil parish, located in the municipality of Abrantes, in Santarém District. In 2001, the parish had about 560 inhabitants and an area of 31.4 km² Aldeia do Mato is a Portuguese civil parish, located in the municipality of Abrantes, in Santarém District. In 2001,...
(to the west) and Souto (to the northwest), as well as the municipality of Sardoal
Sardoal
Sardoal is a municipality in Portugal with a total area of 92.2 km² and a total population of 3,992 inhabitants.The municipality is composed of 4 parishes, and is located in the district of Santarém....
(in the northeast). It has as its border the right margin of the Tagus River, which it shares with São Miguel do Rio Torto and Tramagal.
Architecture
- Convento de Santo António (Convent of Santo António) - located in the Quinta da Arca, and likely founded in 1526, but found in a state of decay and ruins, emblematic for its iconic 17 archways. It was built under the orders of Philip I of Portugal, who order the transfer of the original convent from Ribeira da Abrançalha at the end of the 16th century or beginning of the 17th century, with the support of Lopo de Almeida, Count of Abrantes. But, by the end of the 17th century the convent had already been largely abandoned by the monks, who moved to the centre Abrantes and the property sold to Diogo Marchão and Maria Gamita. In the second half of the 19th century the land was obtained by João Freire Temudo Fialho de Mendonça and became part of the Quinta da Arca.
- Ermida de São Lourenço (Chapel of São Laurenço) - a small chapel dating back to the 16th century, alongside the Abrante's Parque Urbano (urban park)