The Convento de Madre de Deus, or Madre de Deus Convent, is a former convent and church in
Lisbon
Lisbon (; pt, Lisboa ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 544,851 within its administrative limits in an area of 100.05 km2. Grande Lisboa, Lisbon's urban area extends beyond the city's administr ...
,
Portugal
Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...
, which houses the
National Museum of the Azulejo
The Museu Nacional do Azulejo (Portuguese for National Museum of the Azulejo), occasionally known in English as the National Tile Museum, is an art museum in Lisbon, Portugal dedicated to the azulejo, traditional tilework of Portugal and the fo ...
. It is classified as a
National Monument
A national monument is a monument constructed in order to commemorate something of importance to national heritage, such as a country's founding, independence, war, or the life and death of a historical figure.
The term may also refer to a spec ...
.
Overview
Located in Xabregas (formerly Enxobregas) in the eastern part of
Lisbon
Lisbon (; pt, Lisboa ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 544,851 within its administrative limits in an area of 100.05 km2. Grande Lisboa, Lisbon's urban area extends beyond the city's administr ...
, the Church of the Mother of God was part of the Convent of the same name, founded in the early sixteenth century.
National Tile Museum is housed in this building. The church is composed of the rectangular nave and the square main chapel, which adjusts to the size of the sacristy, built in the upper left angle in the shape of an inverted L. The main facade, erected on the side of the temple (as was common in the conventional female churches), is divided into three sections.
History
The Convent of the Mother of God, or Royal Monastery of Enxobregas, was founded in 1509 by the initiative of the queen
D. Leonor, wife of
D. João II. There were several reforms and restoration done in the building during the reign of D. João III, D. Pedro II, D. João V. The temple was partly destroyed by the
1755 earthquake. The church was closed to cult in 1868 with the intend to transform the temple into a museum. Only in 1957-1958 the works were carried out to realize this project on the occasion of the 500th anniversary of the Birth of Queen Leonor. The Museum was founded in 1965, and the first director became Santos Simões.
See also
*
National Azulejo Museum
The Museu Nacional do Azulejo (Portuguese for National Museum of the Azulejo), occasionally known in English as the National Tile Museum, is an art museum in Lisbon, Portugal dedicated to the azulejo, traditional tilework of Portugal and the fo ...
*
Churches in Portugal
*
National Monuments of Portugal
The national monuments of Portugal ( pt, Monumentos Nacionais) were constructed throughout the Portuguese territory, and date back to the period of pre-historic settlement of occupation. Subsequently, the region that is today Portugal has been col ...
References
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Igreja da Madre de Deus (Sao Joao)
Roman Catholic churches in Lisbon
National monuments in Lisbon District