Igreja da Graça

High on Graça hill, in Lisbon, the Church of Graça and the former Convent of Nossa Senhora da Graça preserve a history that spans more than seven centuries. Construction of the convent began in 1271, for the shod hermit friars of Saint Augustine, under the patronage of King Afonso III. The complex was rebuilt in the 16th century and suffered severe ruin in the 1755 earthquake, before being reconstructed with the late-Baroque character that marks the church today. The double façade brings together the church and the former convent entrance, above which rises the bell tower, dated 1738. Inside, the Rococo gilded-wood altars, tiles from several centuries and 18th-century sculptures stand out. The sacristy preserves Baroque decoration, the tomb of D. Mendo de Fóios and the allegorical ceiling by Pedro Alexandrino de Carvalho. The complex is classified as a National Monument.