Today: One of Lisbon’s most beautiful libraries opens its doors for a candlelit Vivaldi concert

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Stephanye Martins

 –  Staff Writer

 ·  October 9, 2026

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There are places in Lisbon that we know by name but about which we know very little. Such is the case with the Lisbon Academy of Sciences, which has been housed since 1834 in the former Convent of Nossa Senhora de Jesus—and which this Friday will host an evening of classical music by candlelight.

The Academy was founded on December 24, 1779, under the patronage of Queen Maria I, and before moving into its current building, the Academy was housed in various palaces throughout Lisbon.

And it is inside there that one of the most interesting details of this story lies. The Grand Hall, where the concert will take place, occupies the space that once housed the convent’s old library and features ceilings painted by Pedro Alexandrino.

Now, this Friday, October 9, it takes on a new atmosphere. The Academy will host “Candlelight: The Best of Vivaldi,” featuring some of the Venetian composer’s best-known works performed live by candlelight.

It’s one of those combinations that makes perfect sense once you know the history of the place: a former convent, a room that once served as a library, and the music of Vivaldi filling the space centuries later.

Tickets are now available on Fever.