Cardaes Convent

Cardaes Convent is a former convent and church at Rua de O Século 123 in Lisbon, now visited as a museum. A guided visit takes you through its cloister and church, where blue-and-white azulejo panels sit alongside gilded frames and paintings. The convent survived the 1755 earthquake, and its tile panels include work by Dutch artist Jan van Oort, made in 1692. Go to learn about the convent’s history and how nuns lived here. A small shop sells heritage-related products that support the women who live at the convent.

A convent preserved through the 1755 earthquake

Cardaes Convent and its church survived the 1755 earthquake. Today, the complex is visited as a museum, with guided tours introducing its history and the lives of the nuns who lived here. The visit gives context to the rooms and art rather than leaving you to explore the convent on your own.

Tours are led by guides who explain the building and its decoration. Visitors have found the guides knowledgeable and willing to answer questions. Tours have been given in several languages, though the available languages are not specified.

Azulejos and baroque decoration

The church is a notable example of Portuguese baroque design, bringing gilded details together with tile panels. Its blue-and-white figurative azulejos include eleven panels made in 1692 by Dutch artist Jan van Oort. The panels survived alongside the church’s paintings and gilded frames.

The cloister is another focus of the guided visit. Its original tiles offer a closer look at the craft and decoration associated with the convent. Take time to notice how the tilework and gilding appear in different parts of the complex.