Lisbon’s Sights
This list of Lisbon must-sees, sights that you need to see and place you need to go to truly experience the city, is extensive. Here are some that I visited while there. I would love to return and spend more time in this amazing city.
The Great Lisbon Earthquake of 1755 along with the following tsunami and aftershocks destroyed much of the city. These catastrophes decimated palaces, churches, and libraries, along with their priceless collections of art, historical records, and artifacts. However, a couple of amazing architectural beauties survived including the Jeronimos Monastery and Belem Tower. Some places that were lost have been restored or rebuilt.
Jeronimos Monastery
This UNESCO World Heritage-listed monastery boasts exquisite details in the Manueline style. Some kind of religious edifice has graced the monastery’s site for more than 500 years. It is the site where Vasco da Gama and his crew prayed the night before their famous voyage to the Orient. The Portuguese explorer’s tomb is near the main entrance to the church’s nave, which also contains some royal tombs.
Under the orders of King Manuel I, erection of the current structure began in 1501. For more than 100 years, master builders and craftsman created this masterpiece. The façade alone impressed me and occupied me for more than ten minutes. The inside isn’t overly decorated, though I suppose in its heyday it was a bit more extravagant. However, some of the altarpieces are beautiful, and the architecture alone is magnificent.
Attached to the church, the monastery’s cloister is worth a visit too, even with the small fee to enter. There’s more of the Manueline architectural details and exhibitions inside. The National Museum of Archeology is also in the complex with a wonderful collection including Roman-era statues and steles.
Belem Tower
Also a World Heritage Site and surviving Manueline architectural masterpiece, Belem Tower guards the entrance to the Tagus River on Lisbon’s waterfront. Originally part of a defense system that included several posts at the entrance to Lisbon, Belem Tower has served as a customs house and prison. It is one of the most decorative military defense structures I’ve ever seen. Ornate stone carvings cover the tower including a rhinoceros and the Manueline globe.
Carmo Convent
Unfortunately, the Carmo Convent did not fully survive the 1755 earthquake. Fortunately, part of the structure did survive and has been converted into a museum. The remnants of this convent leave a fabulous tableau for visitors. With some of the original pieces of the vaulted ceiling, it gives the appearance that the sky is the roof of this sanctuary. As a museum, Carmo’s collection consists of stone art from other damaged religious sites including crucifixes, baptismal fonts, finials, steles, and more. An inside space includes stone monuments and artifacts from hundreds of years of Portuguese history.
Santa Justa Elevator
Just behind Carmo Convent, which sits on top of one of Lisbon’s eight hills, the Santa Justa Elevator offers magnificent panoramas of the city and an easy way up and down the hill. This steel structure stands by itself at the end of a street at the edge of the hill with a bridge at the top to access the hilltop. This Victorian-era structure has the lovely details you might expect including iron scrollwork. The views are beautiful with the castle on the hill across from the elevator.
Roman Theater
On the same hill as the castle, down the side facing the river and just behind the Lisbon Cathedral, archeologists have uncovered an ancient Roman theater complex. They’ve found pottery and other artifacts. The site includes a museum that lets you go down into the site and see some of these artifacts. Seeing these ruins made me think about what other layers of history hide under the bustling city of Lisbon.
These are just some of the amazing Lisbon must-sees worth visiting when you experience Portugal. There are many others. Just wandering the streets and plazas gives a great taste of this European capital. I would love to return and experience more of it.
