o must be described.[166]

The Misericordia of Vianna stands on the north side of the chief square
of the town, and was built in 1589 by one Joao Lopez, whose father had
designed the beautiful fountain which stands near by.

It is a building of very considerable interest, as there seems to be
nothing else like it in the country. The church of the Misericordia, a
much older building ruined by later alteration, is now only remarkable
for the fine blue and white tile decoration with which its walls are
covered. Just to the west of it, and at the corner of the broad street
in which is a fine Manoelino house belonging to the Visconde de
Carreira, stands the building designed by Lopez. The front towards the
street is plain, but that overlooking the square highly decorated.

At the two corners are broad rusticated bands which run up uninterrupted
to the cornice; between them the front is divided into three stories of
open loggias. Of these the lowest has five round arches resting on Ionic
columns; in

[Illustration: FIG. 97.

VIANNA DO CASTELLO.

MISERICORDIA.]

the second, on a solid parapet, stand four whole and two half 'terms' or
atlantes which support an entablature with wreath-enriched frieze;
corbels above the heads of the figures cross the frieze, and others
above them the low blocking course, and on them are other terms
supporting the main cornice, which is not of great projection. A simple
pediment rises above the four central figures, surmounted by a crucifix
and containing a carving of a sun on a strapwork shield. (Fig. 97.)

The whole is of granite and the figures and mouldings are distinctly
rude, and yet it is eminently picturesque and original, and shows that
Lopez was a skilled designer if but a poor sculptor.

[Sidenote: Beja, Sao Thiago.]

Coming now to the basilican churches. That of Sao Thiago at Beja was
begun in 1590 by Jorge Rodrigues for Archbishop Theotonio of Evora. It
has a nave and aisles of six bays covered with groined vaults resting on
Doric columns, a transept and three shallow rectangular chapels to the
east. The clerestory windows are round.

[Sidenote: Azeitao, Sao Simao.]

Much the same plan had been followed a little earlier by Affonso de
Albuquerque, son of the great viceroy of India, when about 1570 he built
the church of Sao Simao close to his country house of Bacalhoa, at
Azeitao not far from Setubal. Sao Simao is a small church with nave and
aisles of five bays, the lat