“A City within a City” they called it. That’s how vast the Convento de São Francisco da Cidade once was.
Welcome to the site of the Igreja de São Francisco in Lisbon. This spot holds centuries of history. It’s a story of faith resilience and loss. Imagine a bustling convent a vibrant community. It all started in 1217. Friar Zacarias and Friar Gualter arrived from Assisi. They were tasked with building two new convents. Friar Gualter went to Guimarães. Friar Zacarias chose this very spot on Monte Fragoso. This was then a barren hill overlooking the Tagus River. The original church faced south. You can still access it via the Calçada de São Francisco. This street was built over time with successive landfill.
The Convent of São Francisco da Cidade grew. It became so large people nicknamed it “The City of São Francisco”. In the 14th century the Fernandina Wall was built. It integrated the convent into Lisbon’s defenses. The wall boasted 77 towers. It even withstood a long Castilian siege. The main city gate was near the present-day Largo do Chiado.
The convent thrived in the 15th and 16th centuries. It was rebuilt in 1528. It served as a convent a church a hostel and even a hospital. The convent’s library hosted Portuguese Courts in 1579 1619 1642 1668 and 1679. Sadly two terrible fires in 1708 and 1741 damaged it greatly. Then the devastating 1755 earthquake struck. The subsequent fire destroyed everything. Baltazar Matos Caeiro recounts that 600 people died. Only a chalice and a censer survived.
A new church was planned a magnificent structure designed by Honorato José Correia. It was incomplete when religious orders were dissolved in 1834. The convent became a depository for books from other convents. The National Library of Portugal was housed there from 1836 until 1965. In 1836 the Academy of Fine Arts also opened its doors. It evolved into the present-day Faculty of Fine Arts. In 1839 the old convent buildings including the church were demolished. The Ionic columns were reused in the facades of the Polytechnic School and the D Maria II National Theatre. The Superior School of Fine Arts then occupied the site.
So as you stand here remember the incredible history that happened right where you are. São Francisco is more than just ruins it’s a testament to Lisbon’s enduring spirit. It represents faith resilience and the passage of time.