Church of Santiago
The Church of Santiago stands within the walls of Palmela Castle, beside the former convent that is now the pousada. It was the conventual church of the Order of Santiago, and it is a National Monument.
The church was built in the second half of the fifteenth century, with construction running from 1443 and completed by 1482. It is a notable example of late-Gothic architecture, with three staggered naves and a striking austerity — the absence of capitals and superfluous decoration is characteristic of the geometric, restrained Gothic of the period. The narrow, raised side naves support the central vault, removing the need for exterior buttresses.
Inside, the church keeps polychrome azulejos of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries and traces of Baroque brutesco painting. Its most significant feature is the tomb-ossuary, set under a Manueline arch, believed to hold the remains of D. Jorge, the last Master of the Order of Santiago — carved in the breccia stone of the nearby Arrábida.
Highlights
- Conventual church of the Order of Santiago, a National Monument
- Built 1443–1482, a notable late-Gothic work
- Three staggered naves of austere, geometric design
- Polychrome azulejos and traces of Baroque painting
- Tomb-ossuary of D. Jorge, last Master of the Order
History & context
The Church of Santiago was built between 1443 and 1482 as the conventual church of the Order of Santiago, within the walls of Palmela Castle. It is a work of the late-Gothic period, marked by a geometric austerity. The interior was later covered with Baroque brutesco painting in the eighteenth century, of which traces survive, and decorated with azulejos of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. The church holds the tomb-ossuary of D. Jorge, the last Master of the Order, set under a Manueline arch and carved in Arrábida breccia. It was classified a National Monument in 1910 and restored in the twentieth century for museum use.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the Church of Santiago?
It stands within the walls of Palmela Castle, beside the former convent that is now the pousada.
Who is buried in the church?
It holds the tomb-ossuary of D. Jorge, the last Master of the Order of Santiago, carved in Arrábida breccia.
What style is the church?
It is a late-Gothic conventual church, built 1443–1482, with three staggered naves and an austere, geometric design.