Igreja de Santos-o-Velho

Igreja de Santos-o-Velho is a parish church in Lisbon, at Rua de Santos-o-Velho 15. Its story reaches back to the veneration of three martyrs on this spot, and the building you see today layers several centuries of work.

Who is the site dedicated to?

The church stands where, according to tradition, three martyred siblings were honoured: Veríssimo, Máxima and Júlia. They are said to have died in the persecutions under Emperor Diocletian (284-305). Their remains were reportedly found on the shore of the Tagus and buried by Christians at the place where a church later rose. Some sources place the church on the site of a presumed late Roman temple from the 4th century. The founding of the church is also linked to King Afonso Henriques, who is said to have ordered it built.

Why "the Old"?

King Sancho I gave the church to the Order of Santiago. It later belonged, together with its convent, to the nuns known as the Comendadeiras de Santos. In 1475 King John II ordered their convent moved to Santos-o-Novo. From then on the older church became known as Santos-o-Velho, to tell it apart from the new convent.

When did the parish begin?

Cardinal Henry (D. Henrique) established the parish of Santos-o-Velho in 1566. The church was built during the reign of King Sebastian.

How has the building changed?

Its present appearance comes from reconstructions in the 17th and 19th centuries. In 1696 the architect João Antunes worked on the bell towers, the façade and the pulpit. Restoration followed in 1861 and 1876, giving the church the profile it has today.

What is inside?

The interior has a single nave opening onto six side chapels, three on each side. To the right of the triumphal arch is the Chapel of Our Lady of the Conception, and there is also a Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament. The ceiling is a false barrel vault of painted and gilded wood, decorated with gilded panels and panels painted in the "brutesco" style.

Frequently asked questions

Where is the church? At Rua de Santos-o-Velho 15, 1200-811 Lisbon, in the former parish of Santos-o-Velho.

Is it a very old building? Worship here is ancient, and tradition dates the church to the 12th century. The present look, however, comes mainly from the 1696 works and 19th-century restorations.

Who designed the façade and towers? João Antunes, in 1696.

Why is it called "Santos-o-Velho"? The name distinguishes the old church from the convent of Santos-o-Novo, where the nuns were moved in 1475.

What stands out inside? The painted and gilded wooden barrel-vault ceiling and the six side chapels along a single nave.

Who is a visit for?

The church suits visitors who enjoy following the layers of Lisbon's history, from martyr cults and military orders to Baroque rebuilding. It fits naturally into a walk around the Santos area.