Igreja Matriz de Mertola, Alentejo - Built over a Mosque
The Igreja Matriz de Mértola in Mertola in the Alentejo region of southeast Portugal is only one of two churches in the country that have been built over mosques following the Reconquest in the 13th century. The other is in nearby Serpa.
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| The Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Assunção church stands over a former mosque |
The Igreja Matriz aka Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Assunção is registered as a National Monument and retains the Moorish arched doorway and the mihrab - a niche pointing to Mecca. The original minaret became the belltower. The church stands on a hilltop below the castle with views over the town.
Matriz means "Mother Church" and corresponds to the parish church and the spiritual center of its location. It is common to use the term also to designate the oldest church in a geographical region.
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| The church is now a protected, National Monument |
Hotels in Mértola
Recommended places to stay in Mértola include the Beira Rio guest house, the Quinta do Vau, the Hotel Museu with an archaeological museum next door, and the Casa da Tia Amalia across the river in Além-Rio. See here for a complete listing of hotels in Mértola.
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| The Igreja Matriz is registered as a National Monument |
Other Churches in Portugal
Igreja da Misericórdia de Chaves
© Portugal Visitor
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