We spent the month of August in Lisbon. For me, it was a return to a city that I had visited 25 years ago. Lisbon is a very popular place these days, attracting tourists with its beautiful architecture, tiled streets, sunny days it is known as the sunshine capital , historic sites, and cuisine.
Part of that was Lisbon itself, but most of it resulted from other factors. Warning : This is a long post. I had initially wanted to do several posts on Lisbon. The cloisters have incredible detail, each column differently carved with coils of rope, sea monsters, coral, and other sea motifs.
It symbolizes a time of world exploration at sea. Within the monastery is the church of Santa Maria, a spacious church with high, intricate columns and a beautiful vaulted ceiling. The tiles many dating back to the 15th century are great β but the highlight for us was the site itself. The convent holds the Madre de Deus church which is small but spectacular with its tile work, baroque architecture, and a beautifully panelled ceiling.
The upper level of the elevator has some of the most impressive views in the city, including of the Carmo church. On November the 1 st a massive earthquake hit Lisbon. The church was never rebuilt. Today it houses an archaeological museum. This church looks really old and beaten up, unlike many restored churches you see these days.
The Church of Sao Roque is known for having the most impressive church interior of any church in Lisbon. Located in the Bairro Alto. The highlight is the Rua Augusta Arch which was built to mark the reconstruction of the city after the earthquake you can take the elevator up to the top of the arch for views of downtown.
