Igreja de Santiago Torres Vedras

Portugal Churches: Igreja de Santiago, Torres Vedras

The Igreja de Santiago features a Manueline-style facade and a bell tower. — The Igreja de Santiago (Igreja de São Tiago) features a Manueline-style facade and a bell tower

The Igreja de Santiago (Igreja de São Tiago) in Torres Vedras, in the Estremadura region of central Portugal is classified as a Monument of Public Interest.

History & Architecture

The original church was probably built in the reign of Dom Afonso Henriques as it is mentioned in a document dated to 1286 now stored in the Institute of the National Archives in Lisbon.

It was subsequently rebuilt between the end of the 16th century and the beginning of the 17th century.

Inside the church there is a marble pulpit, dating from the 17th century and also some splendid, figurative 18th-century azulejos tiles.

Other features of interest include a 16th century baptismal font and spiral stone steps leading up the bell tower.

Another church of interest in the town is the fine Igreja de Santa Maria do Castelo, which was built to give thanks for the defeat of the Moors in the 12th century. Its architecture is a mix of earlier Romanesque and later Manueline (see image below).

The Igreja de Santiago, Torres Vedras, Portugal. — The Igreja de Santiago, Torres Vedras, Portugal

Goods From Japan delivered to your home or business. — Goods From Japan delivered to your home or business

Manueline-style doorway. — Manueline-style doorway

Access & Hours

Rua Dr. Aleixo Ferreira 11
2560-288 Torres Vedras

Hours: Tuesday to Sunday; 10 am to 1 pm; 2 pm to 5 pm.

Torres Vedras Station is on the Linha do Oeste and has trains to Santa Apolónia Station in Lisbon and Mira Sintra-Meleças (for connections to Sintra Station in Sintra), as well as services to the north including to Caldas, Leiria, Figueira, Caldas da Rainha and Coimbra. Trains from Lisbon also depart from Entrecampos and Sete Rios stations. Journey time from the capital to Torres Vedras via Mafra and Sapataria is about 90 minutes.

There are Rede Expressos buses to Torres Vedras from Sete Rios bus station. The bus takes only 45 minutes which is much faster than the train which can take as long as 2 hours.

There are also buses (numbers 700 & 701) from Campo Grande Station on the Lisbon metro to Torres Vedras operated by Barraqueiro Oeste.

Torres Vedras offers a small range of accommodation with just a few hotels, as well as several private villas and guest houses.

Some recommendations are the Stay Hotel Torres Vedras Centro, the Quebra Costas Rooms and the guest house Lines of Wellignton [sic].