Church of Santo António dos Olivais

Category: Church|Place of Worship

The history of the Church of Santo António dos Olivais dates back to the 13th century when D. Urraca, wife of King D. Afonso II, gave the Franciscan friars, who had just arrived in Portugal, a chapel that existed there, dedicated to Santo Antão.

In this small religious community, Fernando de Bulhões was ordained as a Franciscan, changing his name to António. After the canonization of Saint Anthony, the Franciscans moved to the Convent of São Francisco da Ponte in Santa Clara. The church was then dedicated to the matchmaker saint, instead of Saint Anthony. The current building has Baroque features from the 18th century. Of particular note is the arcade composed of three round arches that precedes the staircase leading to the church. At the top of the central arch is a niche that houses an image of Saint Anthony, the patron saint of the church. Inside, the 18th-century blue and white tiles depicting scenes from the life of Saint Anthony are particularly noteworthy.