Lisbon is a city full of churches and monasteries, even if you are not an architecture lover you should definitely explore the following monuments.
Jeronimos Monastery
One of the most photographed monasteries in Portugal is Mosteiro dos Jeronimos (Jeronimos Monastery) which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in Belem area. It was built to honor the voyages of discovery of all the Portuguese explorers, its construction took almost a century and Vasco da Gama as well as other Portuguese explorers are entombed here. Its cloisters are great examples of Manueline architecture and the decoration of the arches will attract your attention for sure.
The church of Santa Maria de Belem with its beautiful vetro windows and paintings will also take you by surprise.
Lisbon Cathedral
Lisbon Cathedral or Se de Lisboa is a fortress-like Romansque church built in 1150, possibly on the remains of a Morrish mosque is the oldest palce of worship in Lisbon. The tomb of King Alfonso is in the Cathedral. The most beautiful features of this church are the rose window and the twin towers on its façade.
Church of Sao Domingos
The church of Sao Domingos (Igreja de Sao Domingos), in Rossio, survived the big Lisbon earthquake in 1755 as well as a fire in 1959, the impacts of which are to be seen in its interior. Portuguese royal weddings were held in this church.
Monastery of Sao Vicente de Fora
The monastery of Sao Vicente de Fora (St. Vicent outside the Walls) was founded in the 12th century for the Augustinian Order and it took its name from its original location out of the city walls. This monastery is stunning as many architects contributed to its construction, its façade is very impressive and its roof will offer you some amazing views to Alfama district and Tagus river.
Which monastery or church did you like the most in Lisbon?
