Igreja do Carmo (Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel) is where you find the gutted remains of a Gothic style church what once dominated the hillside location in Lisbon. Today you can visit the church ruins, which have become an archeological museum. Opening Hours are 10am to 7pm daily during the summer months.

Destroyed during the 1755 earthquake, what remains are the skeletal remains of the church nave, standing arched pillars and exposed church grounds where a large congregation having mass met their fate when the church collapsed upon them during the quake. The area is enclosed by much restored church walls, creating a museum experience for visitors today.

You enter the church and museum area (€3.50 per adult) from Largo do Carmo. Do take the brochure, which highlights interesting historical artefacts which are placed around the open area of the the church grounds. These are nice to see and photography is allowed.

Tip: Plenty of opportunity to capture stark photographs of the standing ribbed vaults against blue skies. If you enjoy playing with light and shadows or B&W photography, this can be a rewarding location to spend time working with your camera.

In addition to visiting the open church ruins, the chancel, which miraculously survived the earthquake, now serves as an enclosed museum with three rooms with impressive artefacts, historic Azulejo panels and tombs that are worth seeing. Note that no photography is allowed within these museum rooms.

Overall, Igreja do Carmo is a rewarding visit and offers a different perspective compared to churches which have been fully restored, demolished and/or rebuilt after historical calamities like that which destroyed this church in 1755. It is intriguing, thought provoking and memorable - a place we look forward to revisiting during future trips to Lisbon.

Note: A convenient way to visit the church from the Rossio or lower Baixa and Avenida area of the city is by way of the Santa Justa Elevador, which places you at the front of the church. Just walk towards Largo do Carmo in the back to find the entrance.