Portuguese Plain Style architecture

The term was coined by the American art historian George Kubler, who defines this style as "vernacular architecture, related to the traditions of a living dialect more than to the great authors of Classical Antiquity".

[1] This same author traces the origin of this style back to suggestions by Italian military architects, although there may be influences from Northern Europe and from the Portuguese architectural tradition itself.

It is a very practical type of design, allowing for construction across the Portuguese empire with minor adaptations, ready to receive decoration when deemed convenient or when economic resources were available.

The result was ingenious, as this architecture remained in use for more than a century and as it was very practical, easily allowing adaptation through decoration, it conditioned the development of the Baroque in the territories controlled by Portugal.

Churches are basilical buildings with two bell towers, with a single nave, deep chancel, side aisles transformed into interconnected chapels with small communication doors, interior without decoration and exterior with very simple portal windows.