Igreja de São Roque (St. Roque Church), Lisbon
The Jesuits, who at one time were so powerful they virtually governed Portugal, founded St. Roque Church in the late 16th century.
What to See
The plain façade of St. Roque church does not impress, but don't let that dissuade you from going inside. Filippo Terzi, the architect who designed São Vicente on the outskirts of the Alfama, was also responsible for this Renaissance church.
Beneath its painted wood ceiling, the church contains eight side chapels with statuary and art dating from the early 17th century. The most notable of these is the extraordinary 18th-century Capela de São João Baptista (Chapel of St. John the Baptist) by Luigi Vanvitelli. The chapel, ordered by the Bragança king João V in 1741, was assembled in Rome. Built from such precious materials as alabaster and lapis lazuli, the chapel was dismantled, shipped to Lisbon, and reassembled here in 1747. The marble mosaics look like oil paintings. It is the last chapel on the left before the high altar. You might find a guide who will escort you around the church and switch on the appropriate lights so the beauty of the chapel is revealed.
In addition to its decorative attractions, the church contains sacred relics: one of the thorns from the crown of thorns and a piece of the wood from Jesus's crib.
The church's sacristy is rich in paintings illustrating scenes from the lives of saints pertaining to the Jesuits.
Adjoining the church, the Museu de Arte Sacra (Museum of Sacred Art) displays a surprisingly engaging collection of clerical vestments and liturgical objects. The 18th-century capes and drapes are delicately embroidered in gold, and the jewel-encrusted crosses and goblets glitter in their cases. A pair of bronze-and-silver torch holders, weighing about 380kg (838 lb.), is among the most elaborate in Europe.
The paintings, mainly from the 16th century, include one of a double-chinned Catherine of Austria and another of the wedding ceremony of Manuel I. Look for a remarkable 15th-century Virgin of the Plague and a polished 18th-century conch shell that served as a baptismal font.
Quick Facts
| Address: | Largo Trindade Coelho, Lisbon, Portugal |
| Phone: | 21/323-53-80 |
| Metro: | Chiado |
| Bus: | 28 |
| Hours: | Tues-Sun 10am-5pm |
| Cost: | 1€, free for seniors and children under 10. Free to all on Sunday. |
