Igreja Paroquial de São Simão de Azeitão, Catholic church in Azeitão, Portugal

Igreja Paroquial de São Simão de Azeitão is a Catholic church in the village of Vila Fresca de Azeitão, in the municipality of Setúbal, Portugal. The building has three naves separated by simple arches supported by columns, and its walls are entirely covered with blue, white, and yellow tiles from the 17th century.

A chapel dedicated to Saint Simon already stood on this site before the 16th century, and in 1570 a larger church was built to serve a new parish. The building was badly damaged by the earthquake in 1755, which destroyed two of its towers, and it was repaired in the following years.

The walls inside are covered with tile panels that show scenes from the lives of saints, and some of these panels date back to the 1600s. Look for the panel near the entrance that depicts Saint John the Baptist, which has a date inscribed on it.

The church is usually open for visits on Monday afternoons and on Sunday mornings and late afternoons, but it is best to check locally as times can change. When you arrive, take a moment to walk around the outside first, as the entrance can be easy to miss from the main road.

The church originally had four bell towers, but only two remain today, and one of them is partially ruined and ends at the roof line. The arches inside are said to number thirteen, a reference to the twelve apostles and Jesus.