Name of Monument:

Chapel of Nossa Senhora da Rocha

Location:

Porches, Lagoa, Portugal

Date of Monument:

Hegira 2nd–7th / AD 8th–13th centuries

Period / Dynasty:

Islamic period

Description:

The Chapel of Nossa Senhora da Rocha is perched on a cliff overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. It is a quadrangular building oriented to the east, with its chancel crowned by an eight-sided dome. The rectangular porch includes three semi-circular arches, supported by two columns. One of the capitals has stylised plant decorations, the design of which may date back to the late Roman period. The originality of the church's quadrangular structure, and the decorative style of the capitals, suggest that Christian worship in this place may date from the Islamic period. At the end of the AH 10th / AD 16th century, this important place of worship was surrounded by a fortified structure which included a moat and drawbridge. The rapid advance of the process of erosion of the cliff has now almost completely destroyed the wall and is putting at risk the survival of the church, which may fall into the sea before its origins have been fully studied. Nearby is the village of Porches, whose name may have evolved from the Arabic word burj (tower), or which might indicate the existence of an Islamic settlement, military in nature.

The Chapel of Our Lady of the Rocks stands on a cliff overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. It is a quadrangular, east-facing building with a chancel crowned by an octagonal cupola. In the chapel building, particularly in the west-facing portico-narthex, the reuse of building materials from the late Roman period can be seen.
It is likely that, in addition to being an important point of reference on the coast, it would also have served as a place of worship for seafarers from the Muslim Algarve, where there was always a significant Mozarabic population.

How Monument was dated:

Through comparison of stylistic parallels.

Selected bibliography:

Callixto, C., Castelos e Fortificações Marítimas do Concelho de Lagoa, Faro, 1991, pp.21–34.
Instituto Português do Património Arquitectónico (IPPAR), “Pesquisa de Património: Detalhe Forte e Capela de Nossa Senhora da Rocha”, http://www.ippar.pt/pls/dippar/pat_pesq_detalhe?code_pass=73026, accessed 4 March 2006.
Torres, C. and Macias, S., O Legado Islâmico em Portugal, Lisbon, 1998, p.186.

Citation of this web page:

Cristina Garcia "Chapel of Nossa Senhora da Rocha" in Discover Islamic Art, Museum With No Frontiers, 2026. 2026.
https://islamicart.museumwnf.org/database_item.php?id=monument;isl;pt;mon01;14;en

Prepared by: Cristina GarciaCristina Garcia

Cristina Garcia é arqueóloga, licenciada em Ciências Históricas pela Universidade Lusíada de Lisboa. Foi bolseira do Instituto Nacional de Investigação Científica. Trabalhou no Serviço Nacional de Parques, Reservas e Conservação da Natureza, nas áreas de ordenamento do território, trabalhos arqueológicos e recuperação de monumentos e sítios arqueológicos. Foi coordenadora do Gabinete de Defesa do Património de Cacela e de projecto integrado na “Acção Piloto Portugal-Espanha-Marrocos”. Dirigiu as escavações arqueológicas do bairro almóada de Qastalla Darrag (Cacela Velha). Trabalha presentemente no Instituto Português do Património Arquitectónico. Frequenta curso de doutoramento na Universidade de Huelva, Espanha. Autora de artigos e estudos técnicos, destacando-se, “Urbanismo islâmico em Cacela, uma intervenção inovadora na região do Algarve” (Murcia, Consejería de Turismo y Cultura, 2002).
Translation by: Gilla Evans
Translation copyedited by: Monica Allen

MWNF Working Number: PT S