Church of Santa María a Nova de Noia, Medieval church in Noia, Spain.
The Church of Santa María a Nova de Noia has a single nave with a wooden roof resting on pointed arches that divide it into four bays. At the east end is a square main chapel with a barrel vault, and on the Gospel side, the Carneiro Chapel (1575) has a scallop-shell vault. The main door's tympanum shows the Adoration of the Magi with Bishop Landoira kneeling.
Archbishop Berenguel de Landoira, a French-born prelate of Santiago (1262–1330), had the church built in 1327 over a 12th-century predecessor. The name Santa María a Nova points to an earlier Santa María a Vella. The church was declared a historical-artistic monument in 1973 and now serves as a museum.
The church holds a significant collection of carved tombstones spanning several centuries of burial traditions. These stone markers reveal how people honored their deceased across different generations.
The building operates as a museum with daytime access for visitors to explore historical artifacts and architectural elements. The interior remains well preserved and offers clear views of medieval craftsmanship and design throughout.
The main entrance features a tympanum with traces of original color that depicts the Adoration of the Kings. The carving unusually includes the figures of Bishop Landoira and Saint Joseph, making it a rare example of personal commemoration in medieval church art.
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