Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Luz, Catholic church in Carnide, Portugal
The Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Luz is a Catholic church in Carnide featuring a prominent facade from 1870 and an interior filled with artistic details. The main chapel houses a notable altarpiece from 1590 decorated with jasper reliefs and Renaissance elements.
Construction started in 1575 under the patronage of Infanta Maria, daughter of King Manuel I. The structure suffered major damage during the 1755 earthquake and was later rebuilt.
The interior paintings show scenes of Mary and Christ that reflect how Portuguese religious art developed over centuries. These works reveal the church's role as a place where faith and artistic expression have always been connected.
The church is located in the Carnide district and maintains regular opening hours for visitors. It helps to wear comfortable shoes for the tiled stairway and allow time to examine the interior details closely.
The access stairway displays a rare collection of Hispanic-Arabic tiles that shows a connection between different architectural traditions. This unusual feature reveals how different cultural influences came together in a single building.
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