Last updated: 12/13/2020
Discover the National Pantheon in Lisbon, a place that houses tombs of great names in the history of Portugal. Check out how the visit is and what to find there.
NATIONAL PANTHEON IN LISBON
The aim of the National Pantheon in Lisbon is to to honor the memory of illustrious Portuguese citizens who stood out in the exercise of their functions, whether military services, public offices, who had significant expression in culture (literature, science, arts), among others. In general, mortal remains are housed with a tombstone with information about the life and work of those honored.
Founded in 1836, the Pantheon originally occupied a space within the Jerónimos Monastery in the Belem district. At the moment, occupies the building that was originally intended to be the Church of Santa Engrácia. The building is on the site of an old church from 1568 that was built to house the reliquary of the virgin Engrácia of Zaragoza. The structure was severely damaged during a storm in 1681, and the following year, construction on the current building began. The works were completed only in 1966, that is, 284 years later!
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The building is beautiful, with a large dome and a beautiful nave decorated with colored marble. Its architecture is a mixture of styles: Mannerist, Baroque and Neo-Baroque. In fact, it is considered a unique example of Baroque in Portugal. There are also exhibitions on the upper floors about the building and the personalities that are there. honored (through cenotaphs, a type of funeral memorial) or are buried on site. On the top floor there is a viewpoint with a beautiful view of the city and the Tagus River, which is close by.
HONORED PERSONALITIES IN THE NATIONAL PANTHEON
You can check detailed information about each of the honorees in the National Pantheon of Lisbon in this link. Below is a brief summary of the honorees.
- Honored personalities: D. Nuno Álvares Pereira (military), Infante D. Henrique (discoverer), Pedro Álvares Cabral (navigator), D. Afonso de Albuquerque (military), Luís de Camões (poet) and Vasco da Gama (navigator)
- buried personalities: Almeida Garrett (writer), Amália Rodrigues (fado singer), Aquilino Ribeiro (writer), Eusébio da Silva Ferreira (football player), Guerra Junqueiro (poet), Marechal Humberto Delgado (military), João de Deus (poet), Manuel de Arriaga ( 1st President of the Republic), Óscar Carmona (military and politician), Sidónio Pais (politician), Sophia de Mello Breyner Andresen (poet) and Teófilo Braga (politician)
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NATIONAL PANTHEON IN LISBON
Below, check out the National Pantheon in Lisbon map and then see more information about the main highlights to visit the building.
1. CENTRAL SHIP
The National Pantheon building has an innovative design with wavy walls and is a unique monument in Portuguese Baroque architecture. It has a building with a Greek cross plan, defining a cross with four equal arms. Its interior is decorated with colored marbles and a beautiful 80 meters high dome.
In this area are the cenotaphs of Nuno Álvares Pereira, Infante D. Henrique, Pedro Álvares Cabral, Afonso de Albuquerque, Vasco da Gama and Luís de Camões.
2. TOMB ROOMS
The three tomb rooms (Room I, Room II and Room III on the map above) are located at the ends of the building, on the ground floor. They are home to Manuel de Arriaga, Teófilo Braga, Sidónio Pais and Óscar Carmona from the Presidents of the Republic; the writers Almeida Garrett, Aquilino Ribeiro, Guerra Junqueiro, João de Deus and Sophia de Mello Breyner Andresen; by the artist Amália Rodrigues; footballer Eusébio da Silva Ferreira and Marechal Humberto Delgado.
3. ALTO CHORUS
Located on the second floor, the high choir is arranged so that you can have a view of the Central Nave and the beautiful 18th century organ (#5 on the map above), which occupies the main altar of the Church. The place is organized to resemble an amphitheater, with the aim of reserving space for performances of hymns and religious songs.
ECONOMY TIP: LISBON CARD
For those who want to visit several places in Lisbon, our tip is to purchase the Lisbon Card. The Lisboa Card gives you free entry to several attractions in the city, as well as unlimited public transport. It is possible to buy the card in 3 versions: 24h, 48h or 72h. The train ticket between Lisbon and Sintra is also included in the Lisboa Card, as well as discounts at various shops, tours and attractions. We tested and approved! Check out: Lisbon Card: Savings tip in the Portuguese capital
Read more: Portugal: What to do in Lisbon – 3 days itinerary
4. INTERPRETATION CENTER & EXHIBITION ROOMS
Located on the third floor, the Interpretation Center is a space that shows a film about the history of the building that houses the National Pantheon, showing its construction phases and its timeline. The site includes items recovered from the first existing church on the site, along with pieces of jewelery used in the celebration of the first mass celebrated in the Pantheon, in addition to a set of plaster models. In addition, the National Pantheon in Lisbon houses rooms that display organized temporary exhibitions by space management, which are displayed seasonally.
5. TERRACE
One of the highlights of the visit is going up to the fourth floor of the building to enjoy the beautiful views of Lisbon from the top of the hill, as well as the Tagus River. As the terrace is located 40 meters high, it ends up being one of the best options for viewpoints in the city, providing a panoramic view of the city as a whole.
The internal view of the Pantheon from this floor is also very interesting. It is possible to see the central atrium from above and be very close to the central dome that decorates the building. A very interesting experience.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
National Pantheon
- Address: Campo de Santa Clara, 1100-471 Lisbon, Portugal
- Schedules: Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am to 1 pm (last entry at 12.40 pm) and from 2 pm to 5 pm (last entry at 4.40 pm) | closed on mondays
- Entrance: €4 | free on the first Sunday of every month | free with Lisbon Card
- How to get: Buses 12, 28, 34, 35, 704, 745, 759, 781, 782 | Electric Tram 28 | Blue Line Metro (Santa Apolónia Station)
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Read more about Lisbon:
- Lisbon accommodation tip: Brown's Downtown Hotel
- Portugal: What to do in Lisbon – 3 days itinerary
- How is the Azul flight between Viracopos and Lisbon
- Portugal: Guide to where to eat in Lisbon (with map!)
- Lisbon: Dinner with Fado performances at Adega Machado
- Lisbon Card: Savings tip in the Portuguese capital
- Portugal: How to visit São Jorge Castle in Lisbon
- Portugal: Visiting the Belém Tower in Lisbon
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- Portugal: The historic Jerónimos Monastery in Lisbon
