Church of St. Vicenti de Fora

The Church of St. Vicenti de Fora is one of the most important sights of Portugal. The church is located in Lisbon, in the Alfama quarter. The church is named after Lisbon’s patron saint, St. Vincent. His relics have been at this place since 1173. The church preserved here to this day was built by order of King Philip II of Spain in 1629.

The church is a late Renaissance-style white limestone building with two towers decorated with miniature spires. Above the entrance in the niches are statues of Vincent, Augustine and Sebastian. Particularly noteworthy is the interior decoration of the church, the altar baldachin surrounded by wooden sculptures, as well as an organ of the 18th century. The building of the church is adjacent to the building of the former Augustinian monastery, famous for its tiled wall paintings of the 18th century. Also in the church is the pantheon of the royal dynasty.