It is located in Praça da Estrela, city of Lisbon (capital of Portugal), Central Portugal.
The Basilica da Estrela consists of a vast church topped by a dome, it stands on top of a hill in the west of the city, being one of the landmarks of the Lapa area.
In the second half of the 18th century, D. Maria I and D. Pedro III, daughter and son-in-law of D. José I, made a vow that they would build a church if they had a son to inherit the throne.
His wish was fulfilled and construction of the temple began in 1779, but unfortunately, in the meantime, the boy baptized as D. José died from smallpox, two years before construction was completed in 1790.
The temple has characteristics of the late baroque and neoclassical styles, the facade is flanked by two twin towers and decorated in the center with a relief representing the Sacred Heart of Jesus with statues of saints (Saint Elias, Saint Teresa of Ávila, Saint John of the Cross and Saint Mary Magdalene de Pazzi) and allegorical figures (Faith, Devotion, Gratitude and Liberality) by Joaquim Machado de Castro and his pupils.
The large interior of gray, pink and yellow marble illuminated by openings in the dome, several paintings by Pompeo Batoni adorn the interior.
The empire style tomb of D. Maria I who died in Brazil is in the right transept, and an extraordinary nativity scene by Machado de Castro made up of more than 500 cork and terracotta figures.
The temple has two organs: the great organ (built in 1789) and the choir organ (1791), both built by the organ maker António Xavier Machado e Cerveira.
The choir organ was restored in 1998, and in 2009 the Schola Cantorum of the Basílica da Estrela was created, with the mission of reactivating in Portugal the practice of the best liturgical music, a tradition that disappeared two centuries ago, and is still fully alive in other European countries.
In 2009, the Singing School was created in the Basílica da Estrela, which aims to reactivate the practice of liturgical music.
The Estrela Basilica was the first church in the world dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, based on the revelations of Christ to Saint Margaret Mary of Alacoque and later reinforced to Blessed Mary of the Divine Heart Droste zu Vischering.
The Terrace of the Estrela Basilica has 114 steps, when you reach the top you can see Jardim da Estrela, a very large park with some free-roaming animals (ducks), the 25 de Abril Bridge, São Jorge Castle and the Tagus River.
The Basílica da Estrela is one of the most ornate churches in Lisbon with a detailed neoclassical facade, an interior lined with geometric marble patterns and a permanent nativity scene with 500 figures carved from cork.
In the second half of the 18th century, D. Maria I and D. Pedro III, daughter and son-in-law of D. José I, made a vow that they would build a church if they had a son to inherit the throne.
His wish was fulfilled and construction of the temple began in 1779, but unfortunately, in the meantime, the boy baptized as D. José died from smallpox, two years before construction was completed in 1790.
The temple has characteristics of the late baroque and neoclassical styles, the facade is flanked by two twin towers and decorated in the center with a relief representing the Sacred Heart of Jesus with statues of saints (Saint Elias, Saint Teresa of Ávila, Saint John of the Cross and Saint Mary Magdalene de Pazzi) and allegorical figures (Faith, Devotion, Gratitude and Liberality) by Joaquim Machado de Castro and his pupils.
The large interior of gray, pink and yellow marble illuminated by openings in the dome, several paintings by Pompeo Batoni adorn the interior.
The empire style tomb of D. Maria I who died in Brazil is in the right transept, and an extraordinary nativity scene by Machado de Castro made up of more than 500 cork and terracotta figures.
The temple has two organs: the great organ (built in 1789) and the choir organ (1791), both built by the organ maker António Xavier Machado e Cerveira.
The choir organ was restored in 1998, and in 2009 the Schola Cantorum of the Basílica da Estrela was created, with the mission of reactivating in Portugal the practice of the best liturgical music, a tradition that disappeared two centuries ago, and is still fully alive in other European countries.
In 2009, the Singing School was created in the Basílica da Estrela, which aims to reactivate the practice of liturgical music.
The Estrela Basilica was the first church in the world dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, based on the revelations of Christ to Saint Margaret Mary of Alacoque and later reinforced to Blessed Mary of the Divine Heart Droste zu Vischering.
The Terrace of the Estrela Basilica has 114 steps, when you reach the top you can see Jardim da Estrela, a very large park with some free-roaming animals (ducks), the 25 de Abril Bridge, São Jorge Castle and the Tagus River.
The Basílica da Estrela is one of the most ornate churches in Lisbon with a detailed neoclassical facade, an interior lined with geometric marble patterns and a permanent nativity scene with 500 figures carved from cork.
