One of the most beautiful historical sites in Portugal, the Carmo Monastery in Lisbon there is a partially damaged medieval monastery which is now run as an archaeological museum. Nuno lvares Pereira, a key player in Portuguese military history – notably the victory at the Battle of Aljubarrota – became a member of the Carmelite Order and built Carmo Monastery in 1389. The Carmo Monastery was destroyed by an earthquake in 1755, and the beautiful ruins are now open to the public. The Museu Arqueologico do Carmo, which has a collection of prehistoric to medieval objects, is currently housed in the monastery.
Today, the monastery functions as a museum for both local residents and visitors. A small archaeological museum stands on the site of the former main altar, with an eclectic assortment of tombs, the largest of which is that of King Ferdinand I, as well as ceramics, statues and mosaics.
A Visigothic column and a Roman tomb with reliefs depicting the Muses are also shown. Shrunken heads, South African mummies, a jasper sculpture of the Virgin Mary, ancient tombstones, Visigothic antiquities and 13th century coins are among the other items on display.
Location: Lisbon
