Carmo Convent

"The Carmo Convent was founded by D. Nuno Álvares Pereira, the Constable of the kingdom and faithful knight of King D. João I, with whom he fought in the battle of Aljubarrota in 1385 to maintain Portuguese nationality. After considering his military mission accomplished, D. Nuno joined the Mendicant Order of Carmelites in 1423, adopting an austere life of religious dedication, and taking the name Frei Nuno de Santa Maria. He was beatified in 1918. The imposing Gothic-style temple, dedicated to Nossa Senhora do Vencimento do Monte do Carmo, was built in 1389 according to the plan of Gomes Martins. Despite the difficulties of construction in this location, D. Nuno made a point of choosing it because of its identification with Mount Carmel in Palestine (marking the origin of the Order) and the fact that it was the hill opposite the Castle, where the Royal Palace and the Cathedral. The 1755 earthquake and a subsequent fire destroyed the convent. In the remaining space, the Carmo Archaeological Museum was installed by the Association of Portuguese Archaeologists. There we can find pieces related to the city's history, from Prehistory to the Middle Ages, and a valuable collection of tombs and medieval heraldry."

"Once a grand 14th-century convent, it now stands as a hauntingly beautiful ruin after the 1755 earthquake. The open-air design lets sunlight pour in, making it a photographer’s dream and a peaceful place to reflect. It is also home to Lisbon Under Stars, an immersive journey through history that brings together multimedia projections, virtual dancers, visual effects, and music. This show occurs during various parts of the year. The ruins at Carmo will be transformed into a time machine and its wall into a three-dimensional 360º screen onto which more than 600 years of the history of the city of Lisbon will be projected. It also involves many of the biggest names of Portuguese music, culture, and dance. "

"The Muséo Arqueologico do Carmo is located in the ruins of the old Lisbon Cathedral that was destroyed in the 1755 earthquake. Although reconstruction efforts were made, they were never finished, leaving only the walls and the spectacular arches of the convent to be seen. Since then, this has become a museum and has an impressive archeological collection. The museum isn't big, but it is very impressive. Even if you aren't a fan of archeology I would recommend comming to this museum for the impressive architecture alone. "