Lisbon - Igreja de Santa Engrácia (Panteao)

Only since the middle of the 1960s has the dome of the Igreja de Santa Engrácia formed part of Lisbon's typical skyline. The church, one of the most striking in the city and visible from afar, has a long and complicated history.

An earlier church on this site dating from the 16th century and bearing the same name had to be torn down, as it was considered desecrated after a robbery in 1630. The deed was blamed on a Jew, who was executed, although it was later proved that he had nothing to do with the incident and that the only reason he had not spoken out about it was so that his love affair with a nun in the neighboring Santa Clara convent was not discovered.

Must-see attractions nearby:

Igreja de Santa Engrácia / Panteao

Igreja de Sao Vicente de Fora

The convicted man is supposed to have phrophesied that the building of a new church would never be finished as the blame for the theft had been laid on an innocent man. In fact it took about 300 years to complete the church (in Portugal any work whose completion takes a relatively long time is known as an "Obras de Santa Engrácia"; a Santa Engrácia work).

The first new building collapsed in 1681 - probably because of a storm's effect on a construction error.

In 1682 work on the present church was begun following plans designed by the architect Joao Antunes. The lower floors were built, but it obviously appeared too risky to span them with the planned dome, so that for decades the church remained in ruins and was sometimes used temporarily and contrary to its proper intention as a store for war materials.

In 1916 a further attempt was begun to complete the building. A law decreed that the church should be used as a national pantheon. Only in the Estado Novo under Salazar was the interior construction undertaken, including the risk of spanning the interior with a concrete dome. The building complex was finally completed in 1966 as a temple to honor national heroes.

Despite the long time taken in its construction, the national pantheon appears as a really unified building. The Baroque elements date from the first stage of building, but clear, classical lines can be seen when viewing the exterior. All in all the pantheon appears rationally structured with very harmonious proportions. The two story facade is divided symmetrically by pillars and simple windows. The dome gives the impression of being massive through the pilasters which have been elongated into little towers with the lantern set on top. White, yellow, pink, gray and black marble dominates in the interior and exudes elegance.

The emptiness of the interior, which has no seating and is built on a plan of a Greek cross, appears somewhat oversized. The main cupola is surrounded by four semi cupolas. In order to do justice to the building's planned function, six large cenotaphs have been placed in the side apses.

Six national heroes are honored by empty tombs: Vasco da Gama, Henry the Navigator, Luis Vaz de Camoes, Afonso de Albuquerque (the first viceroy of India), Pedro Álvares Cabral (the discoverer of Brazil) and Nuno Álvares Pereira (who secured Portugal's independence from Spain).

Symbolic gravestones honoring President Teófilo Braga, Sidónio Pais and Oscar Carmona as well as the writers Guerra Junqueiro, Joao de Deus and Almeida Garrett have been erected in two side rooms.

It is possible to walk around the inside of the dome and thus gain a fine view down into the interior, from the exterior of the dome a marvelous view can be enjoyed across Alfama and on to the Tagus.

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