Igreja Matriz de São Clemente, Loulé, Algarve
The Igreja Matriz de São Clemente in Loulé is the standout church in this pretty market town in the Algarve, north of Faro.
History
The church was originally a mosque and the bell tower was converted from a minaret. It is now one of only a handful of remaining Moorish minarets in Portugal. The nearby Jardim dos Amuados (Sulky People's Garden) was once the church graveyard and before that a Muslim burial ground.
The origins of this church date back to the second half of the 13th century. It is likely that the person responsible its commission was the Archbishop of Braga, D. João Viegas, who, in 1251, commissioned the Dominican friars to build several churches in the Algarve.
Later control of the church passed to the Military Order of Saint James.
Architecture
The layout consists of three naves. In the 16th century, some side chapels were added and five altarpieces were also built, the highlight being the one in the Chapel of Almas.
The 1755 earthquake caused considerable damage to the church, particularly the vaults of the main chapel, a side chapel, and the tower.
In 1856, a further earthquake caused damage to the façade, roof and sacristy of the Chapel of Almas.
Access & Hours
Largo da Igreja Matriz, 19
8100-523 Loulé
Tel: 289 415 167
Nearby
Other places of interest in the town include the Mercado Municipal de Loulé (Municipal Market), the Castelo de Loulé and its Museu Municipal (Municipal Museum) and the historic Town Hall (Câmara Municipal de Loulé).
