Lisbon is a city full of history and tourist attractions to visit. From palaces to museums, there’s no shortage of incredible places to enrich your knowledge and broaden your horizons… and the same goes for fans of religious tourism. After all, there are many churches in Lisbon.
I’m sure you ‘re already familiar with our list of the most beautiful churches in the city, as well as the most modern ones . Now we’ve decided to put them all together and add a few more to create the most Christian itinerary in the city.
Table Of Contents
- Lisbon Cathedral
- Church of Memory
- Church of São Roque
- Church of St. Anthony
- Church of the Child of God
- Church of São Domingos
- Church of the Mother of God
- Church of São Vicente de Fora
- Church of Santa Catarina
- Church of Santa Engrácia
- Church of Our Lady of the Navigators
- Map of churches in Lisbon, and a list for your cell phone!
Lisbon Cathedral
The Sé de Lisboa, also known as Lisbon Cathedral, is located in the center of the capital, more precisely in downtown Lisbon.
It is the seat of the Lisbon Patriarchate and of the Sé Parish, and is one of the city’s most important buildings, having been built in the 12th century in the Romanesque style. The cathedral was rebuilt in the 14th century and in the 16th century after the 1755 earthquake.
Address: Largo da Sé
Church of Memory
The Igreja da Memória is one of the most beautiful churches in Lisbon. It is a baroque church located in the parish of Ajuda and was built in the 18th century in memory of an assassination attempt on King José I.
The church is known for its beautiful architecture and richly decorated interior, a testimony to Portugal’s history and culture. It houses the graves of important historical figures, such as the Marquis of Pombal, and although it is far from the main tourist routes, it is well worth a visit.
Address: Largo da Sé
Church of São Roque
The Church of São Roque is one of the most important churches in Lisbon. It was built in the 16th century and is known for its richly decorated interior, with tiles, paintings and sculptures.
It consists of a single nave, a shallow chancel and eight side chapels, traditionally known as a “hall church”. One of the chapels is the Chapel of the Holy Martyrs, which was built in the 17th century to honor the martyrs of the Inquisition.
Address: Largo Trindade Coelho (Chiado/Bairro Alto)
Church of St. Anthony
The Church of Santo António is a baroque church built in the 18th century and dedicated to the city’s patron saint, Santo António de Lisboa, one of Portugal’s most popular saints.
The church is known for its sumptuous interior, with gold and silver altars and statues of saints.
Address: Largo de Santo António da Sé (Santa Maria Maior)
Church of the Child of God
Huge, beautiful and grandiose, this church was built in 1711 (it withstood the great earthquake!) and is known for its richly decorated interior, with tiles, paintings and sculptures.
Baroque in style, it is located in Alfama, close to São Jorge Castle, and is often overshadowed by it, but it’s not worth a visit.
Address: Calçada do Menino de Deus (Santa Maria Maior)
Church of São Domingos
The Church of São Domingos is a Gothic church built in the 13th century. It was one of the buildings most damaged by the 1755 earthquake and was rebuilt in the 19th century.
Here you won’t find the traditional gold carvings, but traces of the fire that happened there in 1959. It’s this beauty – different – that makes it one of our favorites.
Address: Largo de São Domingos (Rossio)
Church of the Mother of God
The Igreja da Madre de Deus is a Renaissance church built in the 16th century, known for its interior with tiles, paintings and sculptures.
The church also houses the National Tile Museum, which is one of the most important tile museums in the world.
Address: Rua da Madre de Deus 4 (Madre de Deus)
Church of São Vicente de Fora
The Church of São Vicente de Fora is part of the Monastery of the same name, an extraordinary Mannerist complex begun in the last years of the 16th century, where simplicity, symmetry and balance reign supreme.
On the imposing façade, you’ll find a central body and two side bodies, which correspond to the two bell towers. Inside, the carvings, marble, paintings and tiles stand out, as does the chancel with its baroque altar under a baldachin.
Address: Largo de São Vicente (Alfama)
hosts classical music concerts by candlelight? These are the next ones!
Church of Santa Catarina
Located in Bairro Alto, the baroque church of Santa Catarina dates back to the 17th century and has suffered greatly from fires and natural disasters.
Many of its details are gilded and it has a beautiful rococo ceiling. Its organ was recently restored (in 2018), and we hope to be able to hear it soon!
Address: Calçada do Combro (Santa Catarina)
Church of Santa Engrácia
Better known as the National Pantheon, this is a must-see in Lisbon and is one of the most incredible viewpoints in the city due to its incredible views.
The Church of Santa Engrácia was founded in 1568, but little remains of this structure. It was rebuilt in 1663, only to be destroyed again in the 1755 earthquake. It wasn’t until 1916 that it was given the noble (and somewhat morbid) purpose of being the tomb of great Portuguese personalities.
Address: Campo de Santa Clara (Alfama)
Church of Our Lady of the Navigators
One of Lisbon’s newest and most peculiar churches is located in Parque das Nações, where World Youth Day will also take place. It was inaugurated in 2014 by the cardinal-patriarch of Lisbon, Manuel Clemente.
The Church of Our Lady of the Navigators has very futuristic features, with a circular architecture that is very different to what we are used to in these buildings, the work of architect José Maria Dias Coelho, who was inspired by Our Lady of the Navigators and the Oceans, the theme of Expo ’98, which gave new life to this part of the city.
Address: Passeio do Levante 6 (Parque das Nações)
