S. Domingos Church, Lisbon, Portugal

The church of São Domingos still displays the scars of the fire of 1959, almost as a reminder of one of the most abominable events in Portuguese history, the Lisbon massacre.
In Easter 1506 a crowd of Catholics and foreign sailors anchored in river Tagus, instigated by Dominican friars, persecuted, tortured, killed and burned at the stake hundreds of jews accused of heresy. Some of the people involved in this massacre were later arrested and hanged while others lost all their possessions to the crown. The Dominican friars were burnt at the stake. In the square in front of the church, there's a small monument, erected in 2008, in memory of those lost in the massacre.
The original church was built in the 13th century under king D. Sancho II and enlarged under king D. Afonso III and king D. Manuel I- in whose reign the massacre occurred, nine years after he decreed the expulsion or conversion of all the Portuguese jews.
In 1531 the church was severely damaged by an earthquake and in 1755 almost destroyed by the Great earthquake (and later, in 1959, by a fire). 
The church was rebuilt in the baroque style, with the works being directed by architect Carlos Mardel.This church was, from late 18th to mid 20th century, the largest and most splendid church in Lisbon, where all royal events took place.
After the 1959 fire, the church reopened in 1994, with only the ceiling having been rebuilt and many signs of the fire in place, a very lugubrious scenery. It has an altar dedicated to Our Lady of Fátima and the three shepherd children. 

Opening hours: 7.30 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Back to Lisbon









Local: Lisboa, Portugal

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