A few steps from the Cathedral of Lisbon, going up the “Largo da Se” in the Alfama ward, to the left is a Baroque temple from the 18th century. This is the Church of “San Antonio”, built in 1787 on what is alleged was the birthplace of the Saint Anthony. Although,the history of the building itself is much older.
In the XV century a small chapel was located on this sitein honor of “San Antonio de Padua”, which is as it is commonly known. King Joao I of Portugal ordered the construction of a major temple that would be completed under the reign of King Manuel I. Like so many other structures, the earthquake of 1755 left the church partially destroyed. Its reconstruction began in 1767, reopening the temple again in 1787, the year in which the reconstruction works were completed. Only the crypt of the original structure is still present.
At present there is a small museum to the Saint next to the Church. At the time of our visit, restoration work was observed on the facade of the temple.
