The architect inspired by the Black Prince’s chapel
View(s):The church of Our Lady of the Gate of Heaven in Telheiras, Lisbon goes down in history as the one and only building erected in Portugal by a member of a Sri Lankan royal family. Consultant architect Sagara Jayasinghe, during a visit to Portugal two years back was fascinated by the chronicles and documentations on the political and religious affairs between Portugal and Sri Lanka.
The Black Prince
The visit also intrigued him to explore the church of Our Lady of the Gate of Heaven in Telheiras; the Black Prince’s Chapel. Subsequently this year, as a beneficiary of the scholarship programme of Fundação Oriente Museu, Lisbon, he was able to engage in a much deeper study about the architectural significance of the church. The result is this book.
a view of the church
Heritage buildings not only provide a living record of our social and cultural history but also make a positive contribution to our sense of place and our transnational identity. The 400-hundred-year-old church of Our Lady of the Gate of Heaven, Telheiras in Lisbon is an example of such a building. It is historically unique in relation to the political and religio-cultural affairs of Sri Lanka and Portugal during the overseas expansions of 16th and 17th centuries. It was originally built by Dom Joao, known as the Black Prince (identified in Portuguese texts as O Principe Negro) who, according to the evidence gathered was the last male heir of the old Kandyan dynasty in Sri Lanka.
Dom Joao, the Black Prince’s ancestry can be traced back to the fall of the Kotte kingdom and the emergence of the Kandyan kingdom. He was the son of Yamasinha Bandara who was placed on the throne of Kandyan kingdom in 1592 by the Portuguese. After Yamasinha’s sudden death his 12 year-old son Dom Joao, was proclaimed as the king. But due to political instability in the region, he was forced to leave the kingdom and seek protection from the Portuguese in Colombo. He was entrusted to the care of the Portuguese Franciscans missionaries.
Subsequently, Dom Joao was sent to Goa, where he lived for 15 years. Later he was ordained as sub deacon priest, was called to Lisbon and finally settled down at Telheiras. Around 1625 he built this church and convent in appreciation of what the Franciscans had done for him.
| Book facts The Black Prince’s Chapel by Sagara Jayasinghe |