Monastery of São Vicente de Fora, Religious monastery in São Vicente district, Lisbon, Portugal.
The Monastery of São Vicente de Fora is a Mannerist complex of pale stone. A long wing with a terracotta-tiled roof has rows of small windows and tall balustraded openings; behind rises the church front with a domed tower, statues along its balustrade, and a large arched window. The church, begun in 1590 by Filippo Terzi and completed in 1627, holds the Braganza pantheon.
King Philip II of Spain, then ruler of Portugal, ordered the monastery built in 1582 to replace an earlier church; work began in 1590 under architect Filippo Terzi and was completed in 1627. The church and monastery became the burial place of the Braganza royal family.
The tiles covering the interior walls show religious scenes and everyday moments that artisans carefully placed over the centuries. They tell stories from the Bible and fables that visitors discover while walking through the corridors.
The complex is entered from Largo de São Vicente; the church, cloisters and former monastic rooms follow one another, so allow time to walk the whole circuit. Floors are stone and uneven in places, and some areas are reached by stairs. The church and monastery are separate visiting spaces, so check which parts are open before setting out.
The monastery holds more than 100,000 Baroque tiles, including panels illustrating fables by La Fontaine. The church was completed in 1627 and served as a model for later religious buildings in Portugal. The name "de Fora" means "outside", as the monastery stood beyond the medieval city walls.
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