Igreja de São Martinho de Cedofeita is the oldest known church in Porto, yet it is probably the least visited. Partly because it’s not open to the public to visit, but also because it’s a bit further away from most of the other historical monuments which sit closer to the Douro River.
I generally don’t post about places until I’ve photographed the interior, or at least stepped foot inside and had a good look around. But I’ve passed by this Romanesque church countless times (it’s near where I volunteer), and I’ve seen the door open just once. It was for the funeral of an acquaintance’s grandmother, not the sort of occasion where I would duck inside with a camera. (I’ve “crashed” funerals before, but only the reception!) This summer I decided no amount of waiting would get me inside this church, but I still wanted to post about its significance.
Aside from being the oldest known church in Porto, dedicated to St. Martin of Tours, the interior of Igreja de São Martinho de Cedofeita has a unique feature: only one central vaulted nave. According to the DGCP (Directorate General for Cultural Heritage), there are references to a monastery here which date to the times of the Visigoths and the existing structure was renovated extensively over the centuries, especially in the early part of the 20th.
Further reading:
In case you haven’t seen it, another interesting non-Catholic church in Porto (which I haven’t seen the inside of yet) is Igreja do Mirante, Porto’s first Methodist church.
July 20, 2017
Album: Portugal [Summer 2017]
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