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Basílica da EstrelaOpens in a new tab

Lapa · Churches & Religious Sites

The Basílica da Estrela is a church in Lisbon, found at Praça da Estrela, 1200-667 Lisboa, in the Lapa neighbourhood. Visit Lisboa lists it among the city's monuments. The doors are open every day, from 09:00 to 11:30 and again from 15:00 to 16:00. On Tripadvisor, travellers give the basilica a rating of 4.2 across 718 reviews. The building combines baroque and neoclassical styles and dates from the 18th century. Queen Maria I built it in 1790, according to one guide. Sources differ on the motive: one cites thanks for the birth of her son, another a vow made in the hope of producing a son and heir. The church is a simplified replica of the Convento de Mafra, and its exterior drew inspiration from St. Peter's in Rome and from Mafra Palace outside Lisbon. A white dome marks the skyline, and two bell towers peal charmingly. The interior is decorated with marble of every colour. Visit Lisboa credits paintings by Pompeu Botoni and Pedro Alexandrino, which accentuate the baroque style inside. The other guide names the Italian artist Pompeo Batoni and the Portuguese Cirilo Volkmar Machado, among others. The queen's tomb is inside, and she died in Brazil. It stands by the door leading to a baroque nativity scene of cork and terracotta pieces, counted as 500 by one guide and as over 500 by the other. The sculptor Machado de Castro created it, and one guide calls it the country's largest nativity scene. Visits to the church are free, except for the nativity room, which costs 2 euros. The terrace costs 5 euros and is not covered by the Lisboa Card. A climb of 114 steps leads up to it, and from there you can see the castle, the 25 de Abril Bridge and the Amoreiras towers. Trams 25 and 28 stop at the basilica, but one guide calls them usually crowded and suggests bus 709 instead. That bus leaves Restauradores Square every 16 minutes on weekdays and every 20 minutes at weekends, and it stops a few feet from the church. Another route is the metro to Rato, the last stop on the yellow line, followed by a 10-minute walk up Avenida Álvares Cabral. Across the street lies Jardim da Estrela, where duck ponds and playgrounds attract children and a café draws young locals. The food hall of Campo de Ourique Market is about a 10-minute walk away, and the Ancient Art Museum is about 15 minutes on foot through Lapa.