Banho / Banio

INFORMATION

Font ID: 19155BAN
Object Type: Baptismal Font1
Font Century and Period/Style: 7th century, Visigothic
Church / Chapel Name: Mosteiro de Sancto Salvatore de Banio (?) [originally church of the 12thC Augustinian monastery here -- disappeared]
Font Location in Church: [cf. FontNotes]
Church Patron Saint(s): Our Saviour
Site Location: Braga, Norte, Portugal, Europe
Directions to Site: Located off (W) the N204, W of Braga
Ecclesiastic Region: Diocese de Braga
Additional Comments: earlier bib refs in Barroca (2000) to be searched and added
Font Notes:
The earlier of two fonts found in the ruins of the late-12th century Augustinian monastery at Banho. The font is noted in Barroca (2000) with references to earlier authors. Carlos de Almeida, in História da Arte em Portugal (Lisboa: Alfa Editores, 1986), vol. 2: 61, writes: ""A norte do Douro, os testemunhos arquitectónicos visigóticos são mais dispersos e enigmáticos ainda. [...] Apenas do Mosteiro de Banho, Vila Cova, provém uma grande pia baptismal, com cerca de 1,20 m de diâmetro, com uma saliência arredondada no fundo, onde se esculpiu uma cruz de braços iguais. É comparável à de San Juan de Baños (Palencia)." [NB: cf. Index entry for Barcelos No. 1 for the later font from here now kept in the archaeological museum at Barcelos].
Credit and Acknowledgements: We are grateful to Joost Limburg, of www.romanicoportugal.org, for his photograph of this church and modern font, and for the bibliographical references on the early font

COORDINATES

UTM: 29T 531986 4596185
Latitude & Longitude (DMS): 41º 32' 29'' N, 8º 42' 54'' W

REFERENCES

  • Barroca, Mário Jorge, "Epigrafia medieval portuguesa : 862-1422", [e-version available], [Lisboa], 2000