Convento do Carmo, Lisbon 
View with the Elevator of St. Just. Photo
Santi Martin.
View inside the nave. Photo
Tommaso Baldovino.
Photo
Vanessa.
View through the vault arches to the sky. Photo
Francisco Antunes.
Photo under GFDL.
Side view of the Convento do Carmo. Photo
Daly & Daly.
Location map and aerial view of Convento do Carmo. For a larger interactive view, see our Lisbon Map.
The partially ruined Convento do Carmo (Carmelite Convent) was once Lisbon's largest convent, but it was severely damaged in the 1755 earthquake. Today open-air summer orchestral concerts are held beneath its majestic archways.
History
Lisbon's Carmelite convent was founded in 1389 by the knight Nuno Álvares Pereira, the Constable of Portugal (supreme military commander after the king). Carmelites from Moura in southern Portugal entered the convent in 1392. In 1404, the pious founding knight donated his wealth to the convent and, in 1423, he also became a brother of the convent.
The Convento do Carmo was severely damaged in the great earthquake of 1755, which killed many worshippers inside at the time. It suffered further damage from vandalism by Napoleonic troops. Unlike other buildings in the area, the church was never rebuilt, but its skeleton has remained mostly intact for 250 years.
What to See
Today, the convent is an evocative ruin and part of the Museu Arqueológico do Carmo. Its ruined Gothic nave, with roof arches open to the sky, stands as a silent reminder of the devastating 1755 earthquake. A small collection of artifacts is displayed in the convent's sacristy, including ceramic tiles, medieval tombs, ancient coins, and other local finds.
Quick Facts
Site Information |
| Names: | Convento do Carmo; Carmelite Convent; Museu Arqueológico do Carmo |
| Location: | Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal |
| Category: | Abbeys & Monasteries |
| Faith: | Christianity |
| Denomination: | Catholic |
| Order: | Carmelite |
| Status: | ruins |
| Date: | 1389 |
| Architecture: | Gothic |
Visitor Information |
| Coordinates: | 38.712086° N, 9.140357° W (view on Google Maps) |
| Address: | Largo do Carmo, Lisbon, Portugal |
| Phone: | 21/346-0473 |
| Hours: | Apr-Sept daily 10am-6pm Oct-Mar daily 10am-5pm |
| Cost: | €2.50 adults; €1.50 students; free for children under 14 |
| Photography: | Permitted only on exterior of the building |
| Public transport: | Metro: Chiado |
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Article Sources
Article written by Holly Hayes with reference to the following sources:
- Convento do Carmo - Fodor's Portugal
- Museu Archeologico do Carmo - Frommer's Portugal
- Carmo Convent - Wikipedia
Article last updated: 07/13/2009.
