The Ismaili Centre, Lisbon, is one of six

Ismaili Centre The Ismaili Centres are symbolic markers of the permanent presence of the Nizari Ismailis in the countries and regions in which they are established, characterised by the Aga Khan IV as 'ambassadorial buildings'. Each building is architecturally u ...

s worldwide. Established in the Palma de Baixo area of

Lisbon Lisbon ( ; ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 567,131, as of 2023, within its administrative limits and 3,028,000 within the Lisbon Metropolitan Area, metropolis, as of 2025. Lisbon is mainlan ...

in 1998, it is a religious, social and cultural meeting place for the

Ismaili Ismailism () is a branch of Shia Islam. The Isma'ili () get their name from their acceptance of Imam Isma'il ibn Jafar as the appointed spiritual successor ( imām) to Ja'far al-Sadiq, wherein they differ from the Twelver Shia, who accept ...

Muslim community in

Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic, is a country on the Iberian Peninsula in Southwestern Europe. Featuring Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point in continental Europe, Portugal borders Spain to its north and east, with which it share ...

Establishment

In December 1996, Portuguese President

Jorge Sampaio Jorge Fernando Branco de Sampaio (; 18 September 1939 – 10 September 2021) was a Portuguese lawyer and politician who was the 18th President of Portugal from 1996 to 2006. Sampaio was a member of the Socialist Party, a party which he ...

laid the Foundation Stone of the Ismaili Centre, and on 11 July 1998, it was officially opened by President Sampaio and His Highness the Aga Khan. The Ismaili community in Portugal has grown since the 1970s, necessitating the need for this new, permanent marker of their presence in Portugal. On July 13, 2023, the Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa awarded the Portuguese Order of Merit to the Ismaili Centre, Lisbon.

Architecture

The Ismaili Centre, Lisbon is a distinct architectural complex residing in a large space of 18 thousand square meters, 12 thousand of which consist of gardens and patios. The main religious and meeting space of the local Ismaili Muslim community is located in the lioz stone and glass building located in the Laranjeiras neighbourhood. The site was developed following an international competition resulting in the selection of architect

Raj Rewal Raj Rewal (born 24 November 1934) is an Indian architect. Education Rewal lived in Delhi and Shimla from 1934 to 1951. He attended Harcourt Butler higher secondary school. From 1951 and 1954, he attended the Delhi School of Architecture in Ne ...

. He was later joined by the office of the Portuguese architect, Frederico Valsassina. The landscaping was entrusted to PROAP. The Ismaili Centre takes inspiration from the philosophy and traditions of Eastern Islamic architecture, combined with those from the Iberian Peninsula. The principles are highlighted in the composition of space, in the numerous courtyards and fountains, in the stonework and the metal gates and in the Mediterranean flora. The design is influenced by an amalgamation of traditional spatial arrangements of courtyards, such as those in the Alhambra and Fatehpur Sikri, as well as Islamic patterns. Fountains, running water and foliage form the landscaping of the six courtyards and external spaces.

Ethos and purpose

The Ismaili Centres are an example of such spaces of gathering and are symbolic of the permanently present core Ismaili values and traditions. Since its establishment in 1998, the Ismaili Centre, Lisbon has hosted public exhibitions, lectures, and musical programs.

2023 stabbings

On the morning of 28 March 2023, two Portuguese women belonging to the staff of the Ismaili Muslim Centre in Lisbon were stabbed to death by an Afghan refugee who was taking Portuguese language classes at the centre.

References

{{coord missing, Portugal 1998 establishments in Portugal Mosques completed in 1998 Ismaili centres Mosques in Portugal Religious buildings and structures in Lisbon Refugee aid organizations in Europe