Description of the attraction
Not far from the Regional Museum of Beja, which is also called the Museum of Queen Donna Leonor, there is a miniature church of Santa Maria de Feira, which also serves as a parish church.
The original temple was built during the time of the Visigoths, in the 7th century, and is considered one of the oldest in the city. In the VIII century, during the beginning of the occupation of the Iberian Peninsula by the Arabs, the temple was turned into a mosque. The church building that we see today was built in the 13th century. A little later, reconstruction work was carried out in the church.
The exterior of the church is quite simple, but the covered gallery of the church and two bell towers - the oldest parts of the church - deserve special attention. It is noteworthy that each of the bell towers has clocks from different eras on the outer façade. Inside the church is three-nave. Each of the naves is separated from each other by large cylindrical columns, the shape of which is slightly curved. The majestic altarpiece is made of wood and makes a deep impression. Other altars date from the 17th and 18th centuries and are in the Baroque style. They are made of wood and covered with gilding. Particular attention should be paid to the retablo, an altar shelf with paintings depicting the Last Supper. Picturesque paintings can be seen in the Chapel of the Holy Communion, which was built in the Renaissance style. In the central chapel is the Tree of Jesse, skillfully carved wood depicting the family tree of Jesus Christ.
