Misericord Church

Praça da República

Misericord Church
In the Praça da República square (seat of the City Council), where the central pillory recalls the times when Justice was exercized in public, the Igreja da Misericórdia rises with an unconventional form.

It was king Luis who decided to present Beja with a municipal market.

But when the construction was finished, the result was so sumptuous that another purpose was found for it: the king asked the town councillors to consider turning the market into a chuch, a suggestion they immediateley accepted.

Of quadrangular shape, it has great arches around a large open space, specifically created for its first purpose.

At the back, the gilded wood-work of the chapel contrasts with the greyness of the exterior construction.