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The Church of the Monastery of Saint Peter of Ferreira is one of the most expressive Portuguese Romanesque monuments.
At the end of the 12th century, the clergymen of the episcopal Cathedral of Porto held the rights to a portion of the Monastery, the remaining parts belonging to a few noble families, such as the Sousas [or Sousões] and the Maias.
The main portal is embedded in the pentagonal body. Its pierced archivolts [circular combs] have been compared to both those on the Gate of the Bishop of the Cathedral of Zamora, the Church of Saint Martin of Salamanca, and decorative Arabic art in Seville from the second half of the 12th century.
The Church of Ferreira gathers façades and sculptural motifs from several geographic origins and stonemasons' workshops: Zamora-Compostela, Coimbra-Porto and Braga-Unhão.
One such motif is the representation of minstrels [artists] in one of the capitals of the chancel.
Annexed to the main façade is the ruin of a funerary galilee, of which very few examples are left in Portugal.
Two burial pieces remain in the Monastery: a tomb and its tombstone with a statue of nobleman João Vasques da Granja laying down, dressed as a pilgrim and holding a staff.
Type: Monastery
Classification: National Monument - 1928
Route: Sousa Valley
10th century – Foundation;
11th century – First Romanesque edification (now gone);
12th-13th century – Second Romanesque construction (in place);
18th century – Extension of the crevices in the nave;
1930 – Repair works in the roofing structure, removal of the floor, grave guides, excavating and tiling of the nave and chancel, laying of interior steps in the portico, lateral doors and sacristy, disassembling of the wooden altars, excavation of the churchyard including the narthex, and demolition of the belfry staircase;
1932 – Conclusion of the chancel’s crevice, rebuilding two lateral windows in the central apse in masonry similar to the one existing in the axis of the same chapel;
1933 – Construction of the main altar in stone, and repairs to the roof;
1934 – Rebuilding of the nave’s windows in masonry, partially rebuilding of interior colonnettes, and rebuilding the chancel’s roof;
1940 – Excavation and removal of dirt around the church, building and laying of exterior chestnut doors, demolition of the annex attached to the North façade and building of the sacristy, repairs to the steps in the axial door, placement of the corbels and tympanum, and demolition of part of the narthex walls;
1941 – Repair works motivated by the damage caused by 1941’s cyclone;
1945/46 – Repairs to the roof;
1950 – Restoring and repairing the roofing and doors;
1952 – General cleaning;
1966 – Conservation works, electrification and wiring, placement of furniture and pavement by the façade and tiling in the churchyard, several repairs and cleaning of the roofing;
1982 – Covering repairs;
1986 – General conservation and repair works;
1989 – Covering repairs;
1994-95 – Repairs in the covering of the chancel, maintenance of the roof of the nave, electrical installation and carpentry;
1998 – The Monastery of Saint Peter of Ferreira is included in the Route of the Romanesque of Vale do Sousa;
1999 – Conservation works;
2004-2005 – Works of general preservation of the property in the scope of the Route of the Romanesque of Vale do Sousa: roofing, interiors and exterior batters; conservation of exterior spans and belfry;
2009 – Opening of the Tourist Information Centre of the Route of the Romanesque;
2015 – Works for the general conservation of the Monastery, under the scope of the Route of the Romanesque.
Saint Peter - 29th June
By appointment
Wednesday - 8 pm; Sunday - 10.30 am
Monument not accessible to visitors with reduced mobility.
+351 255 810 706
+351 918 116 488
visitasrr@valsousa.pt
