Cathedral of Faro, Gothic cathedral in Faro, Portugal

The Cathedral of Faro is a Gothic church in the heart of the old walled city of Faro, in southern Portugal, featuring a medieval bell tower, pointed arches, and ribbed vaults. It sits on a cobbled square called Largo da Sé, enclosed by whitewashed walls that form a central courtyard with three large stone arches.

The present building was begun in 1251, two years after the Christian reconquest of Faro, on the orders of Archbishop João Viegas of Braga. In 1596 English troops under Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex, sacked and burned the city; only the chevet chapels, the facade tower and the nave walls survived. Rebuilding with royal support replaced the Gothic nave arcades with Tuscan columns, and the main chapel was rebuilt around 1640 by Bishop Francisco Barreto I, whose coat of arms appears on its triumphal arch.

The side chapels are decorated with blue-and-white azulejo tile panels showing scenes from the lives of saints, a tradition deeply rooted in Portuguese religious art. Candles and personal offerings left by locals show that the building is still an active place of worship, not just a monument.

The entrance is on the cobbled Largo da Sé in the old town, which is walkable from the main shopping street, Rua de Santo António. Because it is an active church, visitors should cover shoulders and knees, and access may be limited during services.

The 18th-century pipe organ was installed by Johann Heinrich Hulenkampf, a fact often missed by visitors. The cathedral also keeps an outdoor ossuary shaped like an altar, similar to the bone altar at the nearby Church of Nossa Senhora.