Category: Religious Architecture > Place of Worship
District: Lisboa > Lisboa > Lisboa > Santa Catarina
The Convent of the Paulistas is located in Lisbon, in the Santa Catarina parish, a part of the city with its typical winding and steep streets. The complex is built on a slope of Calçada do Combro, integrating into the historic urban fabric of Lisbon and offering a particular perspective of the Lisbon environment.
Founded in 1647, the Convent of the Paulistas was born from the initiative of Father Master Frei Diogo da Ponte, initially being a male monastery of the Order of the Hermits of St. Paul of Serra de Ossa. The construction of its church, dedicated to the Most Holy Sacrament, began in 1654 and was consecrated in 1680. Although it suffered significant damage in the 1755 earthquake, which led to the reconstruction of important parts such as the facade and ceilings, the building was recovered and completed around 1763. In 1835, with the extinction of religious orders, the church began to serve as the Parish Church of Santa Catarina, a function it maintains to this day. Both the church and the convent were classified as National Monuments, in 1918 and 2011 respectively, recognizing their historical and artistic value.
The church of the Convent of the Paulistas stands out as a remarkable example of 17th and 18th-century Baroque religious architecture. Its main facade presents a distinct composition with three bodies and two bell towers, and an entrance gallery with three arches. Inside, the nave is covered by a depressed arch vault richly decorated with ornamental stucco, including central medallions depicting the Holy Trinity, by João Grossi and Toscanelli. The church houses eight side altarpieces, in 17th and 18th-century gilded woodwork, dedicated to various saints. Particularly noteworthy are the 18th-century organ in gilded woodwork and the oil paintings on canvas, which include works attributed to Bento Coelho da Silveira and André Gonçalves. The main chapel features a gilded woodwork altarpiece created by Santos Pacheco de Lima in 1728, with Solomonic columns and angel figures, and the ceiling presents an allegory of the Holy Trinity, painted by António Pimenta Rolim. In the upper choir, a cycle of twelve paintings narrating the life of St. Paul can be observed.
Beyond the church, the Convent of the Paulistas complex offers a glimpse into past monastic life through its Mannerist-style conventual building. With an L-shaped plan, the convent is attached to the church and includes a small cloister. Of note is a long corridor, over a hundred meters long, which once provided access to the monks' old cells, and some staircases with tile panels featuring floral motifs. The former convent gate reveals tile panels with scenes from the life of St. Paul the Hermit, attributed to António de Oliveira Bernardes, and a ceiling with fresco paintings. This space, which once housed a library considered a smaller-scale replica of the Mafra Convent library, still preserves the atmosphere and grandeur of its monastic past.
The grandeur and artistic richness of the Convent of the Paulistas, a testament to the ingenuity of architects and artisans of its time, give it significant value in Portuguese cultural heritage. However, its conservation has been a challenge. The monument was recently pointed out by Europa Nostra, Europe's leading heritage organization, as one of the most threatened in Europe, due to serious structural and artistic damage caused by infiltration. This situation underscores the urgency of interventions to safeguard this monastic complex of great cultural and historical value.
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt
Coordinates DD: 38.711436694737, -9.1486447684211
Coordinates DMS: 38°42'41.2"N 09°08'55.1"W
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