to May 27 | FREE ENTRANCE TO CONVENTS | Open Convents 2023 | Lisbon

Ever thought about taking thee to a nunnery? Lisbon is opening doors, for free, to more than two dozen former convents, currently used for all manner of purposes. There are many guided tours, presumably in Portuguese, as the organizer’s webpage has not been translated into English as of May 18, but you can also visit the convents on your own without a reservation. Fortunately, there’s also a very handy map, linked to descriptions of the convents, here.

From the organizers, machine-translated:

“Open Convents
Itineraries, guided and free visits to the Convents of Lisbon
Cinema
Conversas

24 | 25 | 26 | 27
Maio-2023

What do the Assembly of the Republic, the National Museum of Ancient Art or the Patriarchal Curia have in common? All were once Convents or Monasteries.

In the past, they constituted a real network that, based on the Christian ideal, responded to multiple purposes: prayer, welcome, education and help for the most disadvantaged. Fulfilling new purposes today, these old religious houses continue to be a reference to the best of us.

Come and be dazzled by the past memories of the Convents and Monasteries of Lisbon.

Free participation (with the exception of the Monastery of São Vicente de Fora), prior booking
Min. 10, max. 30 participants (registration is not required for free visits) Cultural

Organization – SCML Lisbon City Council Quo Vadis – Tourism > Lisbon Patriarchate IHA – NOVA FCSH

PROGRAM

May 24th, Wednesday
6 pm – Opening
of the National Lottery Drawing Room – Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa
Film session “A Missão” (To be confirmed)
Presentation: Fr. Antonio Trigueiros, SJ

May 25th, Thursday
3pm-6pm – Open Talk “Convents and Housing”
Convento das Bernardas (Puppet Museum)

Panel:
Pedro Pinto (Architect, ISCTE)
António Tudella (Architect)
José Miguel Silva (Architect, FAUL)

May 26th, Friday
Itineraries

Convents of Madragoa
10am, guided by Hélia Silva and Tiago Borges Lourenço
• Convent of the Holy Crucifix in Lisbon (Jardim das Francesinhas)
• Convent of Santa Brígida (ISEG)
• Monastery of Our Lady of Nazaré in Lisbon (Convento das Bernardas | Museu da Marioneta)
• Convent of Nossa Senhora da Soledade (Convento das Trinas | Instituto Hidroográfica)

Convents of Pampulha
10 am, guided by Augusto Moutinho Borges
• Convent of São Francisco de Paula (Church of São Francisco de Paula)
• Convent of São João de Deus ( Pampulha Convent | GNR Clinical Center)
• Santo Alberto Convent (Chapel of Albertas | National Museum of Ancient Art)
• Convent of Nossa Senhora dos Remédios (Convento dos Marianos | Igreja Evangélica Lusitana)

Santo António
10 am, guided by Pedro Teotónio Pereira
• Church of Santo António
• Cathedral of Lisbon
• Church of São João da Praça
• Monastery of São Vicente de Fora
• Chapel of Santo António do Vale

Company of Jesus
10h / 15h guided by Fr. António Trigueiros, SJ
• Cotovia Novitiate House
• Professed House of São Roque
• Santo Antão-o-Novo College
• Santo Antão-o-Velho College (Coleginho )

From Campo das Cebolas to the Convent of Santos-o-Novo (Meeting point in front of Casa dos Bicos)
10 am, guided by Guilherme Pereira

Convents of Bairro Alto
10/15h guided by Pedro Rocha
• Professed House of São Roque
• Convent of São Pedro de Alcântara
• Convent of Nossa Senhora da Conceição dos Cardaes
• Mosteiro do Santíssimo Sacramento

Convents Hospitals
10h / 15h guided by Carlos Boavida
• Convent of Santa Marta
• Convent de Santo António dos Capuchos (Meeting point at the main door of the Hospital)

Convents of Luz ( SOLD OUT )
3 pm, guided by Augusto Moutinho Borges
• Hospital de Nossa Senhora dos Prazeres (Military College)
• Church of Nossa Senhora da Luz
• Convent of Santa Teresa de Jesus

Guided tours

10 am
• Convent of São Francisco da Cidade(Faculty of Fine Arts and National Academy of Fine Arts), guided by Fernando António Baptista Pereira

• Mosteiro do Santíssimo Sacramento de Lisboa (Lisbon Territorial Command of the GNR and Parish Church of Santa Catarina), guided by Susana Flor, Maria João Pereira Coutinho and Pedro Flôr

• Convent of Santos-o-Novo (Assisted Residence – SCML I University Residence – ISCTE), guided by PATRIMONIUM

10:30 am
• Monastery of São Vicente de Fora (Museum of the Patriarchate of Lisbon and Diocesan Curia), guided by Joana Santos ( cost €3.5)

10h / 15h
• Convento das Trinas (Hydrographic Institute), guided by Filipa Candeias and Filipe Palma

•Convent of Nossa Senhora do Bom Sucesso (Colégio de Nossa Senhora do Bom Sucesso), guided by Sofia Rodrigues

• Monastery of Santa Maria de Belém (Mosteiro dos Jerónimos), guided by Tito Seixas

• Convent of Nossa Senhora da Madre de Deus (National Museum) do Azulejo), guided by Dora Fernandes

• Convent of São Pedro de Alcântara , guided by João Simões and Gonçalo Amaro

• Casa Professa de São Roque (Museum of São Roque), guided by Patrícia Lamas

• Convent of Nossa Senhora da Conceição da Porciúncula – Barbadinhos Italianos (Parish of Santa Engrácia), guided by Teresa Jales

•Colégio de Santo Antão-o-Novo , guided by Fátima Palmeiro

3 pm
• Convent of Nossa Senhora da Graça (Parish of Santo André and Santa Marinha), guided by José Garcia

• Convent Church of Nossa Senhora de Jesus (Parish of Mercês), guided by Susana Flôr and Pedro Flôr

• Monastery of São Vicente de Fora (Museum of the Patriarchate of Lisbon and Diocesan Curia), guided by Miguel Pires (cost 3.5€)

• Convent of Santos-o-Novo (Assisted Residence – SCML I University Residence – ISCTE), guided by Paulo Santos Costa

• Convento de São Domingos (new) , guided by João Luís Marques

4:30 pm
•Monastery of São Bento da Saúde (Assembly of the Republic), guided by Francisco Lancastre and Távora, Miguel Sousa Lara

Free visits

10am-6pm
• Professed House of São Roque (Church and Museum of São Roque)
• Colégio de Santo Antão-o-Velho (Socorro Parish Church)
• Convent of Nossa Senhora da Madre de Deus (National Tile Museum)
• Convent of Nossa Senhora da Conceição dos Cardaes
• Convent of Nossa Senhora da Graça
• Convent of Nossa Senhora de Jesus (Igreja das Mercês)
• Convent of Nossa Senhora do Carmo
• Convent of Santos-o-Novo
• Convent of São Francisco de Paula (Church of São Francisco de Paula)
• Convent of São Pedro de Alcântara
• Monastery of Our Lady of Nazaré in Lisbon (Convento das Bernardas)
• Monastery of São Vicente de Fora (cost €2.5)
• Monastery of the Blessed Sacrament of Lisbon (Church of Santa Catarina)

13h-17h30
• Convent of São Domingos de Lisbon

15:30-17:30
• Convent of the Most Holy Heart of Jesus (Basilica da Estrela)

Entrance to the churches is conditioned during liturgical acts

May 27th, Saturday

Convents

of Chiado ( SOLD OUT )
10 am, guided by Raquel Henriques da Silva
• Convent of the Most Holy Trinity (Cervejaria Trindade and Bairro do Avillez)
• Convent of Nossa Senhora do Carmo (Archaeological Museum of Carmo and Quartel do Carmo)
• Convent of Espírito Santo – exterior (Armazéns do Chiado)
• Convent of São Francisco da Cidade (block of the Academy of Fine Arts)

Convents of Bairro Alto
10h / 15h, guided by Pedro Rocha
• Professed House of São Roque (Museum of São Roque)
• Convent of São Pedro de Alcântara
• Convent of Nossa Senhora da Conceição dos Cardaes
• Monastery of the Blessed Sacrament of Lisbon (Church of Santa Catarina)

Convents Hospitals ( SOLD OUT )
10h / 15h, guided by Carlos Boavida
• Convent of Santa Marta
• Convent of Santo António dos Capuchos (Meeting point at the main door of the Hospital)

Santo António
15h, guided Pedro Teotónio Pereira
• Church of Santo Antonio,
• Lisbon Cathedral
• Church of São João da Praça
• Monastery of São Vicente de Fora
• Chapel of Santo António do Vale

Guided tours

10 am
• From the Convent to the Academy (Academy of Sciences), guided by Maria Inês Alves

• Convent of Santos-o- New , guided by PATRIMONIUM

10:30 am
•Convent of Nossa Senhora das Necessidades and Church , (Ministry of Foreign Affairs), guided by Ambassador Manuel Corte-Real ( SOLD OUT )

• Convent of São Francisco da Cidade (Faculty of Fine Arts, National Academy of Fine Arts), guided by Eduardo Duarte

• Monastery of São Vicente de Fora , guided by Miguel Pires (cost €3.5)

10h / 15h
• Convent of Nossa Senhora da Madre de Deus (National Tile Museum), guided by Dora Fernandes

• Convent of São Pedro de Alcântara , guided by João Simões

• Casa Professa de São Roque (Church and Museum of São Roque), guided by Patrícia Lamas

• Colégio de Santo Antão-o-Novo , guided by Fátima Palmeiro

3 pm
• Convent of Nossa Senhora das Necessidades and Church , (Ministry of Foreign Affairs), guided by Ambassador Manuel Corte-Real

• Monastery of São Vicente de Fora , guided by Miguel Pires (cost €3.5)

• Convent of Santos-o-Novo , guided by Paulo Santos Costa

Free visits

10am-6pm
• Professed House of São Roque (Church and Museum of São Roque)
• College of Santo Antão-o-Velho (Parochial Church of Socorro)
• Convent of Nossa Senhora da Madre de Deus (National Tile Museum)
• Convent of Nossa Senhora da Conceição dos Cardaes
• Convent of Nossa Senhora da Graça (Igreja da Graça)
• Convent of Nossa Senhora de Jesus (Igreja das Mercês)
• Convent of Santos-o-Novo
• Convent of São Francisco de Paula (Igreja de São Francisco de Paula)
• Convent of São Pedro de Alcântara
• Convent of Nossa Senhora do Carmo
• Monastery of Our Lady of Nazaré in Lisbon (Convento das Bernardas)
• Monastery of São Vicente de Fora (cost €2.5)
• Monastery of the Blessed Sacrament of Lisbon (Church of Santa Catarina) )

13:00-17:30
• Convent of São Domingos de Lisboa

15:30-17:30
• Convent of the Most Holy Heart of Jesus (Basilica da Estrela)

Entrance to churches is conditioned during liturgical acts.

Playing We Build the Past (Open Convents Special)
27 May | Sat | 3 pm – Casa Professa de São Roque (Church and Museum of São Roque)
Workshop for families with children aged 6 to 12

Closing
27 May | Sat | 6 pm –  Convent of São Pedro de Alcântara
Concert – Capela Nova Choir”