Carmo Convent
Convento do Carmo
A Gothic convent whose roof collapsed in the 1755 earthquake, leaving only pointed arches reaching toward the sky as the most striking testament to the disaster.
Carmo Convent was built in the 14th century and was once Lisbon's largest Gothic church. During the All Saints' Day earthquake of 1755, its roof collapsed while Mass was being held. It was deliberately never rebuilt, and its bare pointed-arch skeleton, open to the sky, became a memorial to the catastrophe. The apse has been converted into an archaeological museum displaying stone sarcophagi, Peruvian mummies and sculptures from various periods. Admission is about €7, and it is closed on Sundays. In front, Carmo Square has purple-flowering trees and small café kiosks, and from here a footbridge leads to the top of the Santa Justa Lift. Getting there: Baixa-Chiado metro station.
Opening hours
Mon–Sat 10:00–18:00 (until 19:00 in summer); closed Sundays
Nearby sights
- Santa Justa Lift
- Rossio Square
- Bairro Alto & Chiado
- Rua Augusta Arch
- Miradouro de São Pedro de Alcântara
- Praça do Comércio
- São Jorge Castle
- Lisbon Cathedral