Description of the attraction
The Church of San Sebastian das Cavaleiras was built in the 18th century. Earlier on the site of the church there was an old chapel, which at the end of the 15th century was built by the religious brotherhood of Saint Sebastian in the city of Braga.
The construction of the church on the site of the chapel was carried out under the leadership of the Archbishop of Braga - Rodrigo de Moura Teles. The coat of arms of Rodrigo de Moura Teles decorates the façade of the temple and can also be seen inside the building. It is worth noting that Rodrigo de Moura Teles was not only the archbishop of Braga, he was the bishop of the diocese of Guarda. And before the bishopric in Guard Rodrigo de Moura Teles headed the University of Coimbra.
The church is a prime example of the Baroque architectural style. The temple was consecrated in honor of Saint Sebastian, revered as a martyr. In January, celebrations are held in honor of Saint Sebastian, who was once a Roman legionnaire and became a Christian, for which he was executed by order of the emperor Diocletian.
The church building has an octagonal shape, there is a sacristy inside, and the main chapel is rectangular. The church has a bell tower. The walls inside the temple are covered with azulejos tiles from 1717, which depict scenes from the life of Saint Sebastian. The authorship of these tiled mosaics is attributed to the painter Polycarpo de Oliveira Bernardés, who was the son of the famous Portuguese painter Antonio de Oliveira Bernardés, famous for his painting on ceramic tiles. The interior of the church is richly decorated. The wooden ceiling is also decorated with murals depicting scenes of the martyrdom of Saint Sebastian.
