Churches in Lisbon, Portugal

I love a good church. The older the better. Portugal has a ton of them, so many that sometimes they're right next to one another. Had I realized this, I would have planned things a little better and created a tour of churches. As it stands, I just happened to go by some of these amazing historical structures. If I was lucky, I had a chance to go in as well. 

The thing I find so amazing about these churches is that they were all originally built in the 15th and 16th century. Then on November 1, 1755, a huge earthquake hit Lisbon followed by a tsunami and then fires. Almost all of these structures were affected in some way and most of them had to be rebuilt. But that still puts them as having been erected in the 18th century, which is very old.

I recently spent about 11 days in Portugal. Here are the churches that I saw in Lisbon.

Igreja de Sao Jose. This was the first church I saw in Lisbon. We walked by and I didn't even realize it was a church until we passed it. Since it was closed, I assumed that you couldn't go in the churches here. It was built in 1567. Damaged by the 1755 earthquake, it was rebuilt afterwards. 

Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Conceição. I saw this as we were walking through the neighborhood. It's not the "Old" version of the church (that's located elsewhere in Lisbon) but when I drill in on a map, this is the name it gives. Anytime I try to look up the name of this church, I get the old version so I don't have any specifics about when it was built. However, most of the churches here are old. Like at least 18th century old. In fact, most of the buildings in this town are 18th century old so I am assuming this one is as well.

Monastery de Jeronimos. We didn't go into this church as we ran out of time but we drove by it on the city tour. The monastery replaced a church that was already in that location, Santa Maria da Belem, where monks of the military religious Order of Christ provided assistance to seafarers in transit.  The structure was built under the orders of Manuel 1 in 1495 as a final resting place for the House of Aviz.  

Actual construction began in 1501 and it took 100 years to complete. Manuel I selected the religious Order of St. Jerome to occupy the monastery. Their role was to pray for the King’s eternal soul and to provide spiritual assistance to navigators and sailors who departed from the port of Restelo to discover new lands around the world. In 1604, Philip of Spain, who ruled the entire Iberian Peninsula, made the monastery a royal funerary monument and forbade anyone that was not a Jerome monk or royal family from entering the building. The monastery survived the 1755 earthquake without suffering much damage.  In 1833, the religious order was dissolved and the monastery was abandoned. Restoration work began in 1860.  In 1898, to celebrate the fourth centenary of the arrival of Vasco da Gama in India, it was decided to restore the tomb of the explorer.

In retrospect, I wish we'd made more of an effort to go visit this historical site.

Se de Lisboa. This is the oldest church in Lisbon and is also called Santa Maria Maior de Lisboa (St. Mary Major). The church was built in 1147 and into the first decades of the 13th century on the site of what was the main mosque in the city. The cathedral is in the shape of a Latin cross and the main facade of the building looks like a fortress.

View of the church from the choir. Note the barrel-vaulted ceilings.

The stairwell coming down from the towers. Note the crenellation (the gap in the window). The church was also used as a fortress and it would have been from here that archers would have shot arrows.

The chapel of St. Mary Major, patron saint of the Cathedral of Lisbon, is currently protected by a beautiful Romanesque (13th century) wrought iron grid, decorated with stylized plant and zoomorphic motifs, unique in Portugal. Inside, it is possible to observe a pointed vaulted ceiling with polygonal arches, an oil painting on wood and a beautiful sculpture of the Virgin Mary. It was here that the Cathedral's registry office was located in the 14th century.

The ambulatory that goes behind the altar. Note the Gothic ceiling. 

Built in 1952 and supported by concrete beams, the High Choir is also a privileged place to observe one of the icons of the Lisbon Cathedral: The huge and splendid rosace that ornaments a Romanesque facade sided by two imposing towers. The current stained glass windows, reproducing the twelve Apostles around the central figure of Christ the Savior, were executed in the 1930s by the Ricardo Leone factory, based on the reconstitution of several fragments found of the ancient rosace, destroyed after the earthquake of 1755.

Inside the church itself. The cathedral suffered damage in the 1755 earthquake and was partially rebuilt. A renovation in the early 20th century gave it its current appearance.

Igreja de Sao Antonio. This church is about 20 feet from Se de Lisboa. The Church of St. Anthony, who is the patron saint of Lisbon. He was born on this site in 1195.  The original chapel, a small niche, was built in 1433. In 1495, King Joao II ordered that a larger more dignified church be constructed. That church was destroyed in the 1755 earthquake. Some of the items that were spared were an image of the patron saint, a crypt that was in his birthplace and a canvas depicting Saint Anthony with the most authentic features. This structure was constructed in 1767. There's a museum depicting the life of the saint.

Porta de Nossa Senhora Conceicao. There's a historical marker here that says, "The portal de nossa Senhora da ConCeicao Velha is all that remains from the Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Misericordia, which the 1755 earthquake destroyed, and which had been commissioned in the 15th century by the widow of King Joao II, Leonor, on the site of an old synagogue. Decorated with a rich profusion of Manueline details, with an emphasis on angels, flowers, armillar spheres and the cross of the Ordem de Cristo, the Portal further displays, in the tympanum, the Virgem Maria protecting with her mantle historical figures, namely the Pope Leao X." Remember the pink church above that I couldn't find anything about? Well this is the original version of that church. 

Igreja de São Mamede. This church was not far from our hotel but we rarely walked in this direction so I didn't realize it was here. The original church built around 1190 was located on the slope leading up to Castelo Sao Jorge but the parish was moved here in the 1700s. The church at this location was built in 1782 and completed in 1861. In 1921, a fire completely destroyed the building. It was rebuilt in 1924.

Convento de São Pedro de Alcântara. The Franciscan Monastery was founded in 1670 and established by Antonio Luis de Meneses, who promised to built the monastery if he prevailed in the Battle of Montes Claros. When the religious orders, convents and monasteries were closed by the government in 1833, this building was given to the Santa Casa da Misericordia de Lisboa which was a society charged with helping the old, sick and abandoned or orphaned children. 

Igreja de Sao Roque. In 1505, Lisbon was ravaged by the plague, which came over on a ship from Italy. The site of this church became a cemetery for the plague victims. Around this time, King Manuel I sent to Venice for a relic of St. Roch, who is the patron saint of plague victims.  In 1540, King Joao III founded the Society of Jesus. The Jesuits chose this site for their church. The church was started in 1565 and was one of the few buildings to survive the earthquake of 1755. However, in 1759, the Jesuits were implicated in a revolt against King Joseph I and were expelled from Portugal. The building was given to the House of Holy Mercy.

Igreja de Sao Paulo. This church was built in the 15th century. It was destroyed by the earthquake and subsequent fire of 1755. The current structure was built in 1768. The main facade is topped by a triangular pediment that separates two bell towers. Inside is a single nave with 8 side chapels. This is another church that I wish we'd tried to go into but again, I just assumed it was closed.

Igreja de Sao Domingo. This church was commissioned by King Sancho II in 1241 and is located in Praca D. Pedro IV. In 1531, an earthquake caused significant damage to the church but it was rebuilt in 1536. After the earthquake of 1755, only the chapel survived. It was rebuilt again and opened in 1834. On Easter in 1506, an argument broke out in the church between a Jewish man who had recently converted to Christianity and other worshipers in the church. The dispute sparked a pogrom against the Lisbon Jewish community. Before King Manuel I sent the royal guard to quell the violence, an estimated 2,000 Jews had been murdered.

Then Manuel's successor, King Joao III, invited the Holy Inquisition to Portugal. For the next 250 years, the inquisitors headquartered at this church and hundreds of suspected heretics were burned at the stake. Most of the victims were new Christians, Jews who had converted to avoid being exiled from the country.

In 1987, President Mario Soares asked the Jewish community for forgiveness and in the 2000s, a memorial was placed in front of the church.

Basilica Estrela. The basilica was built in 1779 on the orders of Queen Maria I. She was the daughter and presumptive heir of her father, King Joseph I. In 1760, she married her uncle, Infante Peter of Braganza. During her wedding, she made a vow to build the church if she had a son. She did have a son but he died during the construction of the church.

Over the four columns on the facade of the church are statues of Faith, Devotion, Gratitude and Liberality. In the niches on the facade are statues of (L to R, Top to bottom): St. Elijah, St. John of the Cross, St. Theresa of Avila and St. Mary Magdalene of Passi.

The altar of the church. It was completed in 1781. The painting on the altar is by Pompeo Batoni and depicts the Consecrated Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. In fact, this is the only Basilica to be devoted to the Sacred Heart.

The Virgin Mary. We lit candles for our people.

The cupola of the basilica. The photo doesn't really do it justice.

In the right transept is the tomb of Maria I. It's next to the organ pipes.

Igreja de São Sebastião da Pedreira. We came upon this church on one of the many walks around the city. The church was built in 1652 during the reign of King Joao IV. It's one of the few churches that survived the dreaded 1755 earthquake. The church was dedicated to the Christian martyr, Saint Sebastian, whose life is depicted on the ceiling and in the tile panels that line the walls.

Inside, there are paintings by Jeronimo da Silva and Cirilo Volkmar Machado who painted the Last Supper in 1814. Also inside is the tomb of D. Joao Bermudes, the patriarch of Alexandria and Ethiopia who died in 1570.

Museu Arqueológico do Carmo. This photo was taken from Castelo Sao Jorge. Next to the church is the Santa Justa Elevator. The monastery was founded in 1389 under the reign of King Joao I. Construction began in 1393. By 1407, the presbytery and the apse of the conventional church were complete and mass could then be said. By 1423. the residential cells had been completed and by 1551, it was fully functioning with 70 clergy and 10 servants.

The 1755 earthquake caused considerable damage, completely destroying the library, which contained about 5,000 books. By 1800, minor repairs had been made and ten years later, the site had been turned over to the Guarda Real de Policia. The church was never fully rebuilt.

Igreja Sao Vicente de Fora. This was by far my favorite church of all that we saw or visited while in Portugal and we stopped by as one of those, "why not? we're here" kind of moments. The name of the church is Church of Saint Vincent outside the walls, as it was outside the walls of the city. The order of St. Vincent founded by King Afonso Henriques in 1147 and dedicated to Saint Vincent of Saragossa, the patron saint of Lisbon.

The church and monastery were built between 1582 and 1629 under the reign of King Philip I of Portugal (II of Spain).

The vaulted  ceiling was painted by the Florentine artist, Vicenzo Baccarelli, the introducer of the tropme-l'oeil technique (deceive the eye) in Portugal. It is an illusory way to enlarge spaces, through the painting of perspective architectures, very useful in rooms with lower ceilings. This ceiling is one of the few executed by Baccarelli that survived until our days. This is the first thing you see when you walk in. Wow!

Reliquary chest of the martyrs of Marrakech. The chest contains the remains of seven young missionaries (one Moroccan, one French and five Portuguese)_ who were imprisoned in the Royal Palace of Marrakech after the Battle of Alcacer Quibir (1578). Their secret practice of Christian precepts resulted in their death sentences in 1585. While waiting for them to be declared martyrs by the Roman Catholic Church, D. Felipe I of Portugal (II of Spain) requested for their remains to be returned and kept inside this chest. The lid depicts the scene of martyrdom, with the missionaries receiving assistance from two religious figures (a Trinitarian and a Franciscan).

Elijah (the first prophet of the bible) 18th century

The sacristy was in this division that the canons regular kept their vestments and other liturgical implements, and also prepared themselves for celebration of religious ceremonies.  As usual, the sacristy is located next to the church, however here it is placed in a very original way, in the Portuguese context: incorporated in the plan of the monastery between two cloisters. The sacristy and its portal were built in the first half of the 18th century, and are credited to the architect Luis Nunes Tinoco. Inside, the walls are richly decorated with inlaid polychrome marbles, which dignify the space.

In the interior, it is also possible to observe: two large cabinets made of jacaranda wood (from Brazil), a bust in relief of King D. Joao V, busts of several bishops and an altar decorated with a magnificent painting in oil on canvas by Andre Goncalves, entitled Our Lady and the Saints (c. 1760).

The ceiling was rebuilt after the earthquake of 1755, and is it now painted in oil on canvas glued on wood. At the center it is possible to see the representation of the Angus Dei (Lamb of God) and the side medallions display iconography related to the Monastery.

Beneath the pavement were found anthropomorphic tombs that date back to the 12th century, where the knights from the second crusade who assisted King D. Afonso Henriques in the conquest of Lisbon may have been buried. The blue spot in the floor is a window into what is beneath.

Former chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Incarnation, which supported the processions held in the cloisters. Here are entombed two of three legitimized children of King D. Joao V (1706-1750): D. Antonio and D. Jose (son of the Abbess Paula de Odivelas). Along with D. Gaspar de Braganza (entombed in the Cathedral of Braga), they were known as the "Children of Palhava" for residing in the palace in the area that used to be called Palhava (in Lisbon), where the Embassy of Spain is now located.  Given that they were not allowed to be entombed in the royal pantheon, this chapel was chosen for their eternal rest. This place was selected because Friar Gaspar da Encarnacao, who was responsible for their education, had already been buried here.

At the back of the room there is a fragment of an alterpiece from the chapel of Sao Sebastiao (Paco do Lumiar, Lisbon).

The Royal Pantheon of the Braganza is installed in the place where the refectory of the Monastery used to be, until the dissolution of the Religious Orders (1834). Here, the canons regular at their meals in silence, listening only to the sacred readings. The founder of the fourth dynasty, King D. Joao IV (1604-1656), chose this monastery to house his family pantheon. This political act had the objective of reaffirming his legitimacy to the throne, thus seeking to associate himself with the first king of Portugal, who commissioned the primitive construction of this Monastery. The pantheon was initially located inside the church, and D. Joao IVs tomb was situated in the main chapel below the tabernacle. Today his marble tomb can be found at the entrance of the pantheon on the right.

D. Fernando II ordered the royal pantheon to be moved to the former refectory in 1854, after the death of his beloved wife, Queen Marie II. The pantheon's current configuration is a result of a renovation plan carried out during "Estado Novo" in 1933, which was designed by the architect Raul Lino.

The tombs of the last Portuguese royal family are prominently displayed at the center. 

The sculpture by the double tomb is entitled Dor (Pain) and it represents a female figure mourning the death of King D. Carlos I and his eldest son D. Luis Filipe, both murdered in the Regicide of 1908. This was the announcement of the end of the monarchy, which happened in 1910. The sculpture was designed by Francisco Franco.

The two cloisters give access to important dependencies around it such as: the church, the chapter room, the library, the sacristy, the refectory, among others. These spaces were intended for contemplation, reflection, prayer and also served as a "spiritual passage", where the canons regular would prepare themselves before initiating the divine office.

Architecturally very sober, the cloisters were erected during the 2nd half of the 17th century, following an initial project designed by Juan Herrera (1530-1597), which was commissioned by D. Felipe I of Portugal (II of Spain). This view of the cloisters from the ground floor.

In 1737, the walls were fully coated with 65 glazed tiles panels, which are credited to Valentim de Almeida's workshop. Similarly to the other glazed tiles panels produced during this period, commonly known as the "Great Joanine Production" (1725-1750), these also feature exuberant and monumental frames. The scenes depicted are profane and were inspired by engravings that portrayed the daily life of the French aristocracy, such as: hunting, fishing, landscapes, dancing, playing traditional games, among other examples. The Monastery of Sao Vicente de Fora is one of the monuments in the world, with the most baroque glazed tiles in their original place. The collections include over 100,000 glazed tiles (approximately 222 panels).

This view of the cloister from the first level roof.

The top of the church gives the most amazing views of the city. Way better than what you see at Castelo Sao Jorge. And, there's nobody here!

The view of Lisbon and the Tagus River from the top of Igreja Sao Vicente da Fora. It was breathtaking!

These blue and white tile panels depict various fables such as the chicken that laid the golden egg.

The church is the most sacred point of the monastic complex. It was commissioned by King D. Afonso Henriques, in 1147 shortly after the Siege of Lisbon, precisely where one of the crusaders' military encampments was located. The temple was dedicated to Saint Vincent, who is also the patron saint of the city of Lisbon. Politically affirming a new dynasty, D. Felipe I of Portugal (II of Spain) ordered the imposing reconstruction of this monument, making it one of the first examples of the Mannerism style in Portugal. 

In the earthquake of 1755, the vault of the church, its magnificent dome, the apse and the transept were completely destroyed. The temple was then restored and in it was established the Patriarchal (1772/3-1792), for which two admirable works were carried out: the monumental canopy (designed by Joaquim Machado de Castro) and the historical pipe organ, completely decorated with gilded woodwork.

In 1910. the church was declared a National Monument.

Igreja de Santa Engrácia. This amazing looking building is a church dedicated to the martyr of the city of Braga, Saint Engratia. She was a young girl of 16 that was promised to a man living in Saragossa. When she got there, she found that the ruler was persecuting Christians. She decided to try and persuade the man to stop. She was imprisoned along with her companions and treated equally as bad. This was in the year 303.

The building was sponsored by King Manuel I's daughter, Infanta Maria of Portugal, around 1568. In 1681, construction began and proceeded through 1712. That's when the architect died. King Joao V, then in power, lost interest in the project and it sat. It was not completed until the 20th century. As a result the phrase "obras de Santa Engracia" has become a synonym for construction projects that take forever.

In 1916, during the first Portuguese Republic, the Church of Santa Engracia was converted to a National Pantheon. The dome was added in 1966. People that are buried here include: Vasco da Gama, Eusebio (a famous soccer player), Amalia Rodrigues (a well-loved Fado singer) and Aristides de Sousa Mendes. He sacrificed his career to save thousands of refugees from the Nazis.

There are tons more churches in Lisbon and they are all equally as beautiful. How were these magnificent buildings erected during a time when modern tools and technology were not available? That just makes them even more incredible.