Carmo Convent (Lisbon, Portugal): tips + photos

The Carmo Convent in Lisbon is a fascinating place to visit.
It is one of the main remaining ruins standing after the 1755 earthquake. 
And, the Convento de Carmo is now the home of the Carmo archeological museum with a wide variety of pieces to discover. 
Below is my guide to help you plan your visit.

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Why visit the Carmo Convent? Video

Is a visit to the Carmo Convent worth it?

In my opinion, it is worth a visit as it is different from the rest of Lisbon.
In 1755, the earthquake destroyed most of the town. The Carmelite convent is one of the main remaining ruins still standing.
If you are looking for older buildings in Lisbon, this is one of your best options.
Plus, the tiny archaeological museum inside is quote odd and fun. This is a unique experience!

This is one of the top things to do in Lisbon on a city break. 

How to get to the Carmo Convent in Lisbon

• In the Chiado area of Lisbon
• At the top of the Santa Justa Lift - easy access on foot
• Entrance is located on Praça Largo do Carmo
• You can take a cab or a tuk tuk

The Carmelite convent from the outside

One of the best views of what remains of the Carmo Convent Lisbon is from the Santa Justa Lift viewing platform. 

If you take the elevator from downtown and climb to the top you can see on one side amazing views of Lisbon and looking towards the back you discover the ruins of the Carmo church, the only still standing walls and arches of the convent.

Largo do Carmo

The entrance to the ruins and the museum is from the small and charming Largo do Carmo place with a nice fountain in the middle.
Parking is limited, so I recommend visiting on foot or by taxi.

Convento de Carmo History & Facts

In the museum is a replica of what the church, Igreja do Carmo Lisbon, used to look like before the earthquake:

• The Carmo convent was built during the end of the 14th century and the 15th century
• It was founded in 1389 for the Carmelite Order
• It has a plain gothic style with a Latin Cross plan
• However, there are Manueline windows and details from the 16th and 18th centuries
• It was the home of a large library with roughly 5000 books
• Most was destroyed during the big 1755 earthquake, the roof collapsed on the congregation
• It was for a while a military Stronghold
• Given to the Association of archeologists in mid 19th century and turned into a museum
• At the time of the earthquake, it was the largest church in Lisbon

More info on the Wikipedia Page

Ruins of the Carmo Church

The nave

The first part of the visit is through the ruins of the gothic church?
Upon entering, you first discover the nave of the church. The roof has been left open in memory of the earthquake. 

It is quite an emotional place for the symbol it has become.

The arches

Some of the arches were repaired.
Seeing those arches without the roof is quite impressive.
It is not often that you can appreciate them like that.

The art

A lot of the convent's art survived the earthquake.
Pieces were distributed among the different churches.
However, you can still enjoy many pieces around the Gothic arches and in the sacristy.

This is the view from the museum entrance looking back towards the convent entrance:

Carmo Archaeological Museum: mummies, tombs and more

Chapel & Sacristy

After the open-air part, you can enter the section which still has a roof.
This apse has a main chapel and four side chapels.
There is a nice play of light inside with the tall walls and various windows.

In one of the rooms, you can watch (Portuguese and English) a video explaining the six centuries of the convent’s history.

Book collection

Some books are still on display to remind of the huge collection which was lost during the big earthquake.

Tools and artefacts

You can also discover older archeological pieces and tools from the Bronze age and later.

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