Carmo Convent - the beginning of the archeological museum is connected to the church in Carmo, from the 14th century. The founder of the church, which is located on a hill, is Nuno Alvarez. This religious building is considered the emblem of Lisbon, and Nuno Alvarez is buried in this church. During the following centuries, the church was rebuilt and beautified, so it became one of the most beautiful and most powerful buildings in this city. An earthquake occurred in the 18th century, which significantly damaged the building, and later, as a result of the same earthquake, the church was completely destroyed. A few years later, the reconstruction of the church began, planned to be done in the Gothic style.
In 1864, the archaeological museum "Carmo" was founded in this place, which aimed to maintain and preserve the cultural and national ancient heritage and preserve it from total decay. From the very beginning of the museum's creation, it contained various documents, fragments of architecture, various sculptures, tombstones as real works of art. It is possible to see exhibits from different periods and different origins, such as Roman written monuments, ceramics, monuments "before Columbus", as well as monuments 3500 BC. All this is included in the permanent exhibition.
A visit to the museum also takes place by walking through the former church, which today has no roof, so it is under the open sky, which provides a special experience, with a combination of history and beauty at the same time. The museum organizes various activities, such as "activities for families with children up to 6 years", various thematic visits, archeological congresses organized by cultural institutions or faculties, thematic visit "visual objects we use every day", activities for children up to 8 years, workshops about the prehistory of Carmo, work with clay and ceramics, but also individual and group visits. All generations enjoy this place.
It is forbidden to smoke cigarettes and bring pets in the museum (even tough one part is in the open). It is forbidden to photograph the exhibits with the use of a flash. And of course the exhibits (although many of them are made of stone) are forbidden to touch or lean on. Audio guides in 5 world languages are available for anyone who wants them.
Ticket price for Carmo Monastery
Regular ticket price 5 €
Students and pensioners 4 €
groups over 30 people 4 € per person.
Working hours of Carmo monastery
The monastery is open from 10 a.m to 6 p.m every day except during holidays.
Author of the text:
Maja Glavaš, Bachelor with Honours in Communicology. Works in Tourism.
Contact: [email protected]; instagram: travel_europe1
