Today churches are more regarded as tourist destinations than spiritual and sacred places. The luxury and decorations they bear make people think so, and therefore those, who enter the churches usually get captured by their sparkle, forgetting about the most important thing to do there – to pray.
History knows cases when the priests were being so much annoyed about people’s excessive attention to the walls and ornaments, that they ordered them to be covered with coal. This is true but happily, there are churches that despite their appearance and interior haven’t lost their interest as a spiritual place. One such church is Estrela Basilica.
Compared with other Lisbon churches, this basilica church might appear less interesting. But so far no person has been disappointed by it, simply because of the quiet atmosphere, that dominates in and all around the church.
The church was built in the 18th century. The construction started in 1779. It took 11 years to complete it. Promise… this is the base stone of this church. What does it mean? Just think of the things people promise to do for the fulfillment of their wishes.
In those years the Queen of Portugal was Maria I, who didn’t have an heir and prayed to God to have one. After having the long desired son, who was named Jose, the queen launched the construction works of the church. As already said, it took 11 years to build the church, and unfortunately, the son didn’t live up to that time; he died two years before the church was completed.
Estrela Basilica is dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Notably, it was the first church in not only scenic Lisbon but also in the world to come with that dedication. The architects were Mateus Vicente Oliveira and Reinaldo Manuel dos Santos. It represents a mixture of Baroque and Neoclassical styles. One of the most impressive points of the church is its façade, which includes two bell towers on either side. It’s a single nave church with a large dome.
If you ever wondered about where you can find the largest nativity scene in Portugal, then you already found it. It is located in this church, and features over 500 figures. Other than this, the church is where the tomb of Maria I is. She was the first undisputed queen regnant of Portugal, and even if the history of Lisbon and Portugal is of little interest to you, it’s something to see on your travel to Lisbon.
The church offers nicest views of the city. What you need to do is to go to the roof and simply admire. Adults need to pay 4 Euros, but there is no charge for children.
Lastly, there is one thing (a bit annoying) about taking photos – there might a guardian watching you all the time and not allowing to take any. Try not to concentrate too much on this and enjoy one of the top places to visit in Lisbon.
