São Miguel Chapel or Saint Michael's Chapel (''Capela de São Miguel'', also called "''Capela da Universidade de Coimbra''" - "Coimbra University Chapel") is a

chapel A chapel (from , a diminutive of ''cappa'', meaning "little cape") is a Christianity, Christian place of prayer and worship that is usually relatively small. The term has several meanings. First, smaller spaces inside a church that have their o ...

of the

University of Coimbra The University of Coimbra (UC; , ) is a Public university, public research university in Coimbra, Portugal. First established in Lisbon in 1290, it went through a number of relocations until moving permanently to Coimbra in 1537. The university ...

Coimbra Coimbra (, also , , or ), officially the City of Coimbra (), is a city and a concelho, municipality in Portugal. The population of the municipality at the 2021 census was 140,796, in an area of . The fourth-largest agglomerated urban area in Po ...

Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic, is a country on the Iberian Peninsula in Southwestern Europe. Featuring Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point in continental Europe, Portugal borders Spain to its north and east, with which it share ...

, which was founded (at another location) in 1290. In architectural style, it is

Manueline The Manueline (, ), occasionally known as Portuguese late Gothic, is the sumptuous, composite Portuguese architectural style originating in the 16th century, during the Portuguese Renaissance and Age of Discoveries. Manueline architecture inco ...

or Portuguese late Gothic. The interior contains elaborate

azulejo (, ; from the Arabic ) is a form of Portuguese and Spanish painted Tin-glazing, tin-glazed ceramic tilework. ''Azulejos'' are found on the interior and exterior of church (building), churches, palaces, ordinary houses, schools, and nowadays, r ...

wall tiles, an altar with influences of

Mannerism Mannerism is a style in European art that emerged in the later years of the Italian High Renaissance around 1520, spreading by about 1530 and lasting until about the end of the 16th century in Italy, when the Baroque style largely replaced it ...

and an ornate

Baroque The Baroque ( , , ) is a Western Style (visual arts), style of Baroque architecture, architecture, Baroque music, music, Baroque dance, dance, Baroque painting, painting, Baroque sculpture, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished from ...

organ. The chapel was originally part of the Royal Palace of Coimbra which was acquired by the university from the royal family in 1597. It retained royal privilege even after the purchase.

History

The current chapel replaced a small private chapel or oratory of the palace which was probably built in the 12th century. The project belonged to Marcos Pires, who designed the naturalistic Manueline side door, although he died in 1521 and his work had to be finished by Diogo de Castilho. The entrance to the chapel is through a neo-classical door made by José de Carvalho in 1780. The current chapel was planned by Marco Pires between 1517 and 1522; he designed the Manueline side door, but died in 1521, with the work completed by Diogo de Castilho. Simão Ferreira made the lamp for this church in 1597 and the cup between 1601 and 1602. The tile floor dates to 1613. The painting on the ceiling, by Francisco F. de Araújo, was completed in the late 1600s. In 1684 Manuel Ramos built the

pulpit A pulpit is a raised stand for preachers in a Christian church. The origin of the word is the Latin ''pulpitum'' (platform or staging). The traditional pulpit is raised well above the surrounding floor for audibility and visibility, accesse ...

. In 1733 the chapel received its

organ Organ and organs may refer to: Biology * Organ (biology), a group of tissues organized to serve a common function * Organ system, a collection of organs that function together to carry out specific functions within the body. Musical instruments ...

. In 1737, painter Gabriel Ferreira da Cunha added the "chinoiserie" (Chinese patterns) on the organ and in 1739 completed its construction. The organ, a gift of King

John V of Portugal ''Dom (title), Dom'' John V (; 22 October 1689 – 31 July 1750), known as the Magnanimous (''o Magnânimo'') and the Portuguese Sun King (''o Rei-Sol Português''), was King of Portugal from 9 December 1706 until his death in 1750. His reig ...

, is equipped with nearly 2,000 pipes. The neo-classical door (entrance) was made by José de Carvalho in 1780.

Uses

The chapel is consecrated and used to celebrate mass every Sunday. It is also a

tourist attraction A tourist attraction is a place of interest that tourists visit, typically for its inherent or exhibited natural or cultural value, historical significance, natural or built beauty, offering leisure and amusement. Types Places of natural beaut ...

of Coimbra's old university quarter. A

choir A choir ( ), also known as a chorale or chorus (from Latin ''chorus'', meaning 'a dance in a circle') is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform or in other words ...

, the ''Coro da Capela da Universidade de Coimbra'', performs in the church. Although Coimbra University teaching and administrative staff has priority, São Miguel Chapel occasionally rents the space for Roman Catholic

wedding A wedding is a ceremony in which two people are united in marriage. Wedding traditions and customs vary greatly between cultures, ethnicity, ethnicities, Race (human categorization), races, religions, Religious denomination, denominations, Cou ...

s and other events.https://theindependenttourist.net/2018/01/23/coimbra-portugal-home-to-one-of-europes-great-universities/, COIMBRA, PORTUGAL – HOME TO ONE OF EUROPE’S GREAT UNIVERSITIES

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sao Miguel Chapel Chapels in Portugal University of Coimbra