This unique Portuguese chapel is at once a breathtakingly unique work of art and an homage to religious history.
Capela das Almas, or Chapel of Souls, is an early 18th-century neoclassical church in Porto, Portugal, located on Ruа dе Sаntа Саtаrinа in the busy shopping district of Sаntо Ildеfоnsо. Yet, the church remains the most conspicuous presence on the street for a very special feature: the chapel is covered in almost 16,000 decorative ceramic tiles, called “azulejos,” in eye-popping blue and white.
The tiles are arranged in panels depicting the lives of Saint Francis of Assisi and Saint Catherine in various religious scenes, including the death of the former and the martyrdom of the latter. The tiles were designed by Eduardo Leite and were made by Fábrica Viúva Lamego in Lisbon in 1929.
Stylistically, they emulate the famous blue and white delft tiles of the 19th century and include details such as decorative filigree that add to the grandeur of the design.
Chapel of Souls originates from an old wooden chapel built in honor of Santa Catarina, according to the Greater Porto project. During the reformation of the chapel in 1719, the monk Domingos de Campos Soares integrated two surviving features into the new building: an arcozol, or rainbow, in the south wall, and a cross in the east of the temple, according to the Santo Sepulcro blog.
Besides its 15,947 decorative tiles, other features of the stunning chapel include a two-story bell tower covered by a dome, a huge chandelier, and an imposing stained glass window over the chapel door, showing souls that were executed in the 19th century in Purgatory, being cleansed of their sins by the blood of Christ.
The chapel underwent expansion and restoration work in 1801 and was listed as a property of public interest in 1993. Today it is one of the most visited tourist attractions in the area. Visitors are invited to write a letter to God or light a candle in the temple.
