Santa Maria de Lisboa, Lisbon cathedral
Santa Maria de Lisboa cathedral is the oldest church in the city of Lisbon, capital of Portugal. Construction of the cathedral started mid 12th century in Romanesque style. Being modified several times, it is now a blend of different architectural styles. To the and of the 13th century, King Dinis of Portugal added a Gothic cloister and his successor, Afonso IV of Portugal converted the main chapel into a royal pantheon for his family, built in Gothic style.
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The Misericordia charitable institution was founded mid 15th century in one of the chapels , later having a very important role in Portugal and the colonies. The cathedral underwent extensive rebuilding and renovations following an earthquake that shattered it almost completely, and recent excavations in the courtyard of the cloister have revealed signs of the Roman, Arab and mediaeval periods.
The Lisbon cathedral has a Latin cross layout, with 3 aisles crossed by a transept and a main chapel surrounded by an ambulatory. While the aisles are entirely Romaneque, the ambulatory features a a Gothic vault and upper row of windows or triforium clearstory. The church is adjoined to a cloister on the eastern side. The main facade resembles a fortress, with 2 massive towers flanking the entrance and crenellations above the walls. This menacing appearance can also be encountered at other Portuguese cathedrals of the time, such as the cathedral in Porto. They are reminiscent of the Reconquista period, when the cathedral also served for attacking the enemy during a siege.
The west facade also features a Romanesque rose window and a portal decorated with sculpted capitals with Romanesque motifs. There are round windows called oculi or medallions over the Gothic triforium windows, each featuring a different tracery pattern.
The interior of the cathedral has also received newer finishes, such as the 17th century Baroque sacristy and the rebuilding of the main chapel in neoclassical and Rococo style. This chapel houses the tombs of King Afonso IV and his family. The Gothic chapel of Bartolomeu Joanes features a magnificent crib by sculptor Machado de Castro.
