With its breathtaking view, the Basílica da Estrela is one of Lisbon’s most imposing monuments. But did you know that it was born from a queen’s promise?
If you pass by Estrela and only think of sunny days sitting in the garden reading a book, or on the always crowded Tram 28, that’s because the Basílica da Estrela is not ‘just’ a national monument, but also the setting chosen for royal weddings.
Built in the 18th century, the religious temple also houses a ‘hidden’ viewpoint with a 360° view — one of the best in Lisbon. In addition to its vast history, this building continues to add milestones. Commissioned by D. Maria I, the first reigning female monarch in Portugal, the monument recently hosted the wedding of a European princess.
‘Home’ of queens and princesses
The history of the Basílica da Estrela is intrinsically linked to Queen Maria I, whom we will talk about shortly. But for now, we want to highlight a wedding that caught the attention of several national media outlets , especially due to the choice of venue.
On Valentine’s Day (February 14), relatively recently, Princess Leopoldina, daughter of Prince Gundakar of the Liechtenstein royal family, married businessman Bruno Pedrosa (of Brazilian origin).
The event was attended by several members of European royal families, including Prince Henri de Ligne and Prince Louis of Luxembourg, as well as D. Duarte Pio de Bragança and D. Isabel de Herédia and their children Afonso and Dinis.
Although the choice of the Basílica da Estrela as the setting for this royal wedding may seem unusual, the truth is that it makes perfect sense, given that the young couple lives in the Portuguese capital. In any case, we took advantage of this event to revisit the history of this iconic monument.
Promises of blue blood
The Basílica da Estrela was literally born out of blue-blooded promises. What does this mean? In 1760, when the then Princess Maria married Prince Pedro, she made a promise to the Sacred Heart of Jesus: a religious temple would be built if she had a son to inherit the throne. However, some constraints arose.
To begin with, the kingdom was in a very complicated situation due to the devastating earthquake of 1755. In this sense, all economic efforts were focused on rebuilding the capital, so D. Maria waited until 1779 to order the construction of the temple, which would become the first in the world dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
In addition, the infant — christened D. José — died two years before the work was completed. Even so, D. Maria I kept her promise and the construction of the Basílica da Estrela was completed in 1790.
What is the Basílica da Estrela like?
Classified as a National Monument since 1910, the Basílica da Estrela is a place worth visiting, and we are referring not only to the interior of the church, but also to the ‘hidden’viewpoint at the top, which offers a 360º view over Lisbon. However , if you don’t have the opportunity to go inside, here are some highlights.
The temple featuresBaroque and Neoclassical style characteristics. The façade, divided into two floors and seven sections, adorned with Doric columns,is noteworthy, as is its interior in shades of gray, pink, and yellow. In addition, the Basílica da Estrela contains several paintings by the Italian Pompeo Batoni.
Between legends of the past and royal weddings of the present, the Basílica da Estrela is much more than a tourist stop. And you, did you already know about the ‘blue blood’ of this symbol of Lisbon, or do you usually just stay in the shadows of the garden?
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