Arco de Jesus

Arco de Jesus is a rectangular stone gateway near the Tagus River, built with traditional Portuguese architectural elements and bearing traces from different historical periods. The arch displays visible marks and weathering that tell the story of centuries of use.

The gate was built as part of medieval city defenses and served as a major passage through the walls. Germanic forces used it during the Christian reconquest of Lisbon in the 12th century, when King Afonso Henriques took the city from Moorish control.

The structure took its name from a medieval painting of the infant Jesus that hung inside the gate. This religious connection shaped how residents and visitors understood the passage through the city walls.

The gate sits in a central location in Lisbon and is easily reached on foot, with several walking paths and bus connections nearby. The best time to visit is during daytime when the surrounding Campo das Cebolas area is active and you can move freely.

Artist Roque Gameiro created an artistic rendering of this medieval passage around 1910. His work captured the gate's appearance at a time when its original purpose was already fading from memory.