Igreja de Nossa Senhora dos Mártires, Lisbon
The Basilica of Our Lady of the Martyrs (Igreja de Nossa Senhora dos Mártires) is an historic church in the Chiado district of Lisbon.
The church is associated with the reconquest of Lisbon from the Moors by King Afonso Henriques.
History
The church was established in 1147 by King Dom Afonso Henriques to give thanks for the successful siege of Lisbon Castle (Castelo de São Jorge), which ended Moorish control of the city. This was a decisive event in Portuguese history.
The church was built to house an image of the Virgin Mary that had been brought by English Crusaders on their way to Palestine.
They and other soldiers from across Europe were persuaded to break their onward journey and participate in the fighting in Lisbon. The church was then dedicated to those who died in combat in the city with Afonso Henriques supposedly laying the first stone. Hence, the name of the church is the Basilica of Our Lady of the Martyrs.
The by then grandiose Baroque church was largely destroyed by the devastating 1755 Lisbon earthquake.
The current church was designed by Portuguese architect Reinaldo Manuel dos Santos and dates from 1784.
The baptismal font within the church survived the tremor with the poet Fernando Pessoa being baptized here in 1888.
The magnificent ceilings and altarpieces are designed by Pedro Alexandrino de Carvalho and his disciple José António Narciso. Carvalho's work can be seen in Lisbon Cathedral (Sé), the Church and Monastery of Graça (Igreja e Convento da Graça), the Queluz National Palace (Palácio Nacional e Jardins de Queluz) and the Igreja Matriz de Belver.
The church also houses an 18th century nativity scene, with 126 figures, carved by the Machado de Castro school.
Access
Igreja de Nossa Senhora dos Mártires
Rua Serpa Pinto 10D
Lisboa 1200-445
Tel: 21 346 2465
Hours: Monday to Friday: from 9 am to 7 pm; Saturday: 10 am to 7 pm; Sunday: 10 am to 7:45 pm.
The church is located on the corner of Rua Serpa Pinto and Rua Garrett in Chiado.
The Lisbon trams numbers #28 and #24 as well as Lisbon buses #758 from Cais do Sodre and the #202 all stop within reasonable walking distance of the church.
Nearby
Igreja de Nossa Senhora dos Mártires is close to two other churches: Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Encarnação and the Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Loreto (Igreja dos Italianos).
Just south is the 18th century Teatro Nacional de São Carlos, Portugal's most famous opera theater, and the Brazilian Consulate-General.
The Museu Nacional de Arte Contemporânea (National Museum of Contemporary Art), Praça Luís de Camões, the Convento do Carmo, Arco da Rua Augusta and Praça do Comércio are also all within easy walking distance.
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