page_title: Matriz Church of Póvoa de Varzim
section_title: A new main church
hierarchical_section_title: Matriz Church of Póvoa de Varzim / History / A new main church
caption_attribution_description: English: Main Church of Póvoa de Varzim, the oldest known picture of it
context_page_description: Matriz Church of Póvoa de Varzim, also Nossa Senhora da Conceição Parish Church is the Mother Roman Catholic church in Póvoa de Varzim, Portugal. The temple is located in Praça Velha square, in Bairro da Matriz quarter. The church is dedicated to the Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, Nossa Senhora da Conceição in Portuguese, the main patron saint of Póvoa de Varzim.
  Of Baroque architecture and of high artistic value, the temple was built in the 18th century siding the old Póvoa de Varzim town hall, a proof of the alliance of Póvoa de Varzim Town Hall with the Archdiocese of Braga, important for the territorial disputes that the town had with the House of Braganza.
context_section_description: The church of Santa Maria de Varzim, the mother church was located in the old town, and was, in the 18th century, outside of Póvoa de Varzim's civic center. The ancient Santa Maria de Varzim Church was also too small for such a large population. The Povoan Senate (Senado Poveiro) asked the King a larger temple. King John V answered with the royal provision of June 1, 1736, granting the leftovers of taxes for 15 years and the population had to contribute with one Real in the meat and wine.
  The temple was built in the town hall's square, showing an alliance between the town hall and the Archdiocese of Braga, that was useful for the territorial disputes that the town had with Barcelos, controlled by the House of Braganza. The town hall was part of the commission that built the church, has contributed with the maintenance and improvement of the first church, and the construction of the new one, as such it had special privileges granted by Braga archbishops. The judge of the town hall was also judge of the church, granting power to areas outside the civil borders established in the 16th century and disputed with the House of Braganza. In 1610, these privileges were already a tradition that had to be respected by the archdiocese's hierarchy, even if these were against rulings.
  Works started when, in a ceremony, the priest Carvalho da Cunha placed the first stone on February 18, 1743. The stone was taken into place by four local personalities: Sir Diogo de Sousa, Gonçalo de Almeida de Sousa, lieutenant Veiga Leal and Francisco Monteiro Pereira de Queiroz. 
  The project was directed by Braga architect Manuel Fernandes da Silva until his death in 1753. After Fernandes da Silva's death, works continued under the direction of a team of building masters. Despite not fully finished, the temple was blessed on January 6, 1757. Madre de Deus Chapel was demolished in 1898 for street enlargement.
caption: An early picture of the new main church.
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