File:The Azores - or Western Islands - a political, commercial and geographical account (1886) (14801508043).jpg

Identifier: azoresorwesterni00walk (find matches)
Title: The Azores : or Western Islands : a political, commercial and geographical account ...
Year: 1886 (1880s)
Authors: Walker, Walter Frederick
Subjects: Azores -- Description and travel
Publisher: London : Trubner & Co.
Contributing Library: Claire T. Carney Library, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
Digitizing Sponsor: Claire T. Carney Library, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth

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ndgo without even the necessity of a passport. The basilica of S. Miguel is the church of SaintSebastian, better known as the Matriz; it owed its origin toa plague which broke out in 1523, and lasting eight years,carried off many victims. As a propitiatory offering that the pest might be stayed,contributions were raised amongst the terrified community,and with the proceeds the finest religious edifice in theisland was erected and dedicated to the martyr SaintSebastian. Like all the Azorean churches, it is rigidly plain, itsrectilineal outlines being utterly devoid of architecturalbeauty. The style of these Portuguese churches is probably 115 an imitation of those of Lombardy and Upper Italy, withoutthe elegant rose windows which distinguished them. Thefreedom in ecclesiastical architecture which in 1589 to 1680superseded the more austere style so long under the influenceof the priesthood in many parts of Europe, never penetratedpermanently into Portugal, where we find the clerical in-
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MATEIZ CHURCH, PONTA DELGADA. fluence too powerful for any innovation or improvement inthe outward building of their churches, and this influencecontinued even after the expulsion of the Jesuits in 1760from Portugal and her dependencies. All their efforts atembellishment seem to have been expended upon the interior,especially in the brilliant colouring and painting of theceilings and walls, fine examples of which may be seenin the Estrella and other churches in Lisbon, and Se atTerceira. T 2 116 Several writers on Portuguese church architecture, andnotably Mr. Crawfurd, have very aptly classified this as theJesuit style. The western and southern entrances are ornamented withsome passable marble carvings and bas-reliefs, executed andbrought from Lisbon; on the facia over the latter are carvedbusts of Dom Manuel and his queen. The interior is dividedby two rows of massive pillars into a handsome nave andaisles; there is some good work on the capitals of thesecolumns, which, in a measure

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