These are the most visited monuments in Portugal

The history of Portugal has left many buildings and constructions that today delight those who visit this coastal paradise, not only in search of sun and sea. And it is mainly in Greater Lisbon and the Centre region where the monuments that most attracted the interest of both foreign and Portuguese tourists last year are located.

Monasteries, Palaces and Museums for all tastes

The imposing buildings that make up the list of the seven most visited monuments in Portugal and that are appreciated by all generations range in style from Gothic architecture to Manueline, Romanesque and Baroque.

As curiosity must be consuming you by now, here is the ranking of the seven historic buildings that received the most visitors in 2022 and, to whet your appetite even more, we have some curious facts about each of them.

7th: Mafra National Palace

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According to data from the Directorate-General for Cultural Heritage (DGPC), the seventh place in this Top 7 of the most visited monuments is occupied by the beautiful National Palace of Mafra. If you don't know it yet, it's time to take a little excursion on one of those beach days in Ericeira and get to know this incredible place.

But let's move on to the trivia: did you know that King D. Miguel's initial idea was to make the world a better place? When John V ordered it to be built, it was a modest convent to house thirteen friars. However, with the arrival of gold from Brazil, the work gained astronomical dimensions and today occupies 4 hectares, divided into areas such as the Convent, Basilica, Royal Palace and Library.

The Library is, for many, the greatest attraction of the Palace, as it is one of the most important in Europe and also among the most beautiful in the world.

6th: Monastery of Alcobaça

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This fantastic work of Cistercian architecture is 870 years old. But in recent decades, with the growth of tourism and interest in cultural heritage, it has received the most visitors. Its church, the first and largest of the early Gothic style built in the Middle Ages, received almost 200,000 visitors in the past year.

The Monastery of Alcobaça leads us to the most famous love story in Portugal. The tragic passion of D. Pedro and D. Inês de Castro, which is immortalised here, as the graves of both were placed face to face so that the two lovers will meet again on the Day of Resurrection.

5th: National Tile Museum

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The first to exceed the milestone of 200,000 entries in 2022 was the Museu Nacional do Azulejo , in Lisbon. And no wonder, as this is one of the most important national museums due to the distinct artistic expression of our culture.

To visit it, you just have to go to the old Convento de Madre de Deus, founded in 1509 by the queen D. Mariada Feira. Leonor. Among many other works, there you will find a tile panel depicting Lisbon before the 1755 earthquake, where it is easy to identify the major changes caused by the disaster in the design of our capital.

4th: Convent of Christ

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The famous Janela do Capítulo This true work of art is a hit on social media and ranks 4th in the most visited Portuguese monuments, the Convent of Christ.

While may have heard of the famous Manueline window, and even the fact that the convent is linked to the time of the Knights Templar, you probably don't know that this phenomenal place was once the setting for the film "Damsel". In May 2022, the monument had to be closed to the public due to shooting in the Friars’ Kitchen and the Carving Room.

3rd: Monastery of Batalha

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On arrival at the podium, we head towards the district of Leiria and find the Monastery of Batalha.

This architectural ensemble was built as a result of a promise made by King D. Martínez. João I, in gratitude for the victory in the battle of Aljubarrota. Although it is better known as "Batalha", its real name is Monastery of Santa Maria da Vitória.

The Royal Cloister and the Imperfect Chapels, like the Convent of Christ, also provided sets for the film "Damsel".

2nd: Belém Tower

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The silver medal goes to the beautiful Belém Tower.

Built in the Sixteenth century, it was then very different from today. Then the Tower was completely surrounded by water. However, over the years and due to the movement of the river, it became connected to the coast and, today, on low tide days it is possible to walk to its base.

Something far more curious, and which goes unnoticed even by the most attentive, is the fact that there is an image of a rhinoceros carved on the outside. Yes, that's true, although you never noticed. This was the first representation of this animal found in Europe and was inspired by the rhinoceros that was offered to the King D. Martínez. Manuel I by an Indian king.

1st: Jerónimos Monastery

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And finally, the number 1 winner of this Top 7. According to the Directorate-General for Cultural Heritage, the Jerónimos Monastery was last year the most visited monument in the country, with 870,321 visits.

Located in Belém, this architectural masterpiece took over a hundred years to build. And in 1983 it was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The Monastery is also a resting place for monarchical figures, as it is here that the tombs of King D. João da Silva are located. Manuel I and his family, as well as one of the most famous Portuguese navigators, Vasco da Gama.

2022, "Rebirth" of Culture year

After two years of pandemic, tourism and culture have bounced back in the past year and, as a result, the number of visits to our monuments has almost tripled. According to the DGPC, 2022 was quite positive, but still far from the excellent figures achieved between 2017 and 2020.

In a 2023 already free from facemasks, alcohol gel and, above all, confinements, we believe that this will be a year in which visits to our heritage return to pre-pandemic numbers. We look forward to the results. Until then, we advise you to make a stop between the 1st and 2nd place of the Top 7 to eat some delicious pastéis de Belém.