Under a stark blue sky, the Convento do Carmo is a reminder of devastation left by the 1775 earthquake that hit Lisbon. Explore this majestic site, where you can wander around the Gothic ruins juxtaposed by contemporary sculptures and a small yet amazing museum on Lisbon’s history.
Located between the Chiado and Bairro Alto districts of the Portuguese capital, the Convento do Carmo stands atop guarding Lisbon along with the Castelo de Sao Jorge. It’s ideal for history and architecture buffs.
Founded in 1389 for the Carmelite Order and built by Nuno Alvares Pereira, the Convento do Carmo was ruined by the 1755 magnitude 9 earthquake, which at the time also destroyed much of Lisbon. The roof of the convent collapsed on the congregation as it was attending Mass on that All saints’ Day killing tens of thousands.
Following this event, a big fire destroyed most of the church stuffing. Somehow a large number of art pieces survived the earthquake and were distributed among the different churches of the city. There was an attempt to reconstruct it in new-gothic style but works were interrupted during the 19th century and ultimately, a decision to not rebuilt it was made.
The roof was left unrestored, and today, the skeletal shape of the arches remain, still attracting visitors from all around the world. Most of the architecture of the Convento do Carmo dates back to the 1300s but during the 16th and 18th centuries Manueline details and windows were added.
Tip: To get a great shot of the Convento do Carmo from the back, head to the Santa Just lift viewing platform.
Convento do Carmo. Lisbon, Portugal. Credit: Carry on Caro
Convento do Carmo. Lisbon, Portugal. Credit: Carry on Caro
Know before you go
- All the information and panels in the archaeological are available both in Portuguese and English.
- Wi-Fi is available at the Convento do Carmo.
- Guided tours are available, feel free to ask at the ticket office when the next guided tour will take place.
Convento do Carmo. Lisbon, Portugal. Credit: Carry on Caro
The archaeological museum
After visiting the ruins of the Convento do Carmo and taking dozens of photos head to the archaeological museum featuring a small collection (1,000 items) that was donated by archaeologists in the 19th century.
The Carmo Archaeological Museum, which was founded in 1864, was the first museum of art and archeology in the country. Displaying artifacts from the pre-historic era through the Middle Ages, in addition to a collection of medieval religious and heraldic items.
Here you can expect to find:
- Pre-historic Bell-beaker artifacts dating over 5,000 years
- Roman “Sarcophagus of the Muses”
- The Gothic tomb of King Ferdinand I
- The Baroque tomb of Queen Maria Anna of Austria
- An Egyptian mummy and two South American mummies (a young boy and a young girl from Peru).
Convento do Carmo. Lisbon, Portugal. Credit: Carry on Caro
Getting to the Convento do Carmo
The Convento do Carmo is only a short walk away from the Baixa-Chiado metro station reachable on the green or blue lines. It’s also near the Santa Justa Elevator.
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Admission fee & opening hours
To get inside the Convento do Carmo costs 5 euros (as of 2023). If you have the Lisbon Card you will get a discount. Thankfully we didn’t see huge lines outside, but we went there early in the morning so perhaps this was the reason. The archaeological museum is open Monday to Saturday from 10am to 6pm from October to May, and until 7pm from June to September. It is closed on January 1, May 1, and December 25.
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