Silviš Cathedral

Silviš Cathedral, which dates back more than seven centuries, for many centuries was the center of the diocese of the Algarve. The history of its construction is quite confusing, and scientists still can not answer some questions. It is believed that the construction of the Cathedral began in the XIII century, when Silvish was finally liberated from the Moors by the troops of Christian knights, and in Silvish resumed the activities of the diocese.

Work on the construction of the cathedral was carried out slowly, in conditions of constant shortage of funds, besides in 1352 a powerful earthquake severely destroyed the cathedral. Construction began in 1440 with the support of King Alfonso V. The result was a Gothic building with three chapels, a transept and an expressive central portal.

At the end of the XV century in the cathedral were the remains of King John II, which were later reburied in the monastery of Batalha, but the tombstone with an inscription is still kept in the main chapel of the cathedral. This is not the only tombstone in the cathedral - in the XV-XVI centuries many noble citizens were buried here.

The cathedral suffered terrible damage after the Great Earthquake of 1755, when its walls were badly destroyed. However, already in the XVIII century, the building was restored with some changes - simple Gothic elements in the upper part of the central facade were replaced by pretentious and elegant details in the then fashionable Baroque style. In addition, a bell tower and a southern portal were built.

The last large-scale restoration was carried out in the twentieth century, when the cathedral was returned to the "medieval" appearance. And still the magnificent Gothic Cathedral remains one of the brightest monuments of Silvish architecture, and strikes with the contrast of red sandstone walls with white plaster.