Sé de Lisboa

Lisbon’s Romanesque cathedral, founded after the conquest of the city in 1147, at the heart of Alfama.

At the foot of the castle hill, in the oldest quarter of Lisbon, the Sé is the city’s cathedral — a fortress-like Romanesque church founded soon after the conquest of 1147 and still the seat of the patriarchate. Its twin towers, its rose window and its dark stone interior have watched over eight centuries of the city’s history.

History and character

The cathedral was begun in 1147, when Lisbon passed to the first king of Portugal, on the site of the old Moorish mosque. It was rebuilt and altered after the earthquakes that struck the city, keeping its fortress-like Romanesque character, and its cloister, rebuilt after 1755, preserves archaeological remains from the earlier occupations of the hill.

What to see

The Romanesque west front, with its portal and rose window.
The austere nave and its Gothic royal tombs.
The cloister and its archaeological excavations, from Iron Age to medieval Lisbon.
The treasury, with sacred art and vestments.

Visiting

The cathedral is in Alfama, in central Lisbon, reached on foot or by tram. It remains an active place of worship: visits are welcome outside the hours of Mass and celebrations, and access may be limited during ceremonies.