Carmo Convent Lisbon – History, Tickets & Visitor Guide
How to Visit the Carmo Archaeological Museum in Lisbon
The Carmo Convent (Convento do Carmo) is one of Lisbon’s most striking historic sites, instantly recognisable for its roofless Gothic arches that stand open to the sky. Once the city’s grandest medieval church, it was partially destroyed in the 1755 earthquake, leaving behind atmospheric ruins that today form one of Lisbon’s most memorable landmarks.
Inside the convent, you’ll find the Carmo Archaeological Museum, where visitors can explore a collection of artefacts spanning Lisbon’s history. It’s a unique combination of dramatic architecture and cultural heritage, making the Carmo Convent not only a must-see ruin but also one of the most fascinating museums in Lisbon.
Carmo Convent / Archaeological Museum – General Information |
|
Location |
Largo do Carmo, 1200-092 Lisboa, Portugal. |
Opening Times |
As of 2025, Carmo Convent opens Monday to Saturday. |
Entry & Tickets |
Tickets for the Carmo Convent start at €7 for adults and can only be purchased onsite. Discounts are available for seniors, children and groups. |
History of Carmo Convent
The Carmo Convent began in 1389, founded by Nuno Álvares Pereira. It was built as one of Lisbon’s finest Gothic churches, with the intention to rival the city’s grandest religious monuments at the time, Sé Cathedral and the Convent of São Francisco. Over time, it was expanded and renovated, acquiring rich decorations and architectural features.
However, in 1755, the church was heavily damaged when the catastrophic Lisbon earthquake struck and the fires that followed. Reconstruction started in 1756 in a neo-Gothic style, but the project was never completed. In 1834, when religious orders were suppressed in Portugal, the work was definitively halted, leaving the naves and chapels roofless and open to the sky.
In 1864, the Carmo Convent found a new purpose: it became home to Portugal’s first archaeological museum. The Museum’s mission was to preserve and display sculptures, architectural elements, funerary monuments, decorative tiles and other artefacts rescued from religious houses, ruins, and the rubble of historical upheavals. Over the years its collection expanded further, adding prehistoric items, epigraphy, tiling, mummies, and more.
Today, the Carmo Convent is both a memorial to the 1755 earthquake and a impressive museum space.
Visiting Carmo Convent Lisbon
We recommend setting aside around 1 hour to visit the Carmo Convent and its Archaeological Museum to explore its 5 rooms at a relaxed pace. Your ticket includes access to the roofless nave, side chapels and museum exhibition rooms. You’ll find information panels in Portuguese and English throughout the convent and museum. If you’d like a deeper experience, you can also ask at the ticket office about the next guided tour.
Inside the convent, eating, drinking, and smoking are not allowed. Large wheeled suitcases must be left at reception, but as storage space is limited, it’s best to avoid bringing them if possible.
Basic facilities, including toilets and baby-changing facilities are available onsite. For more options, there are cafés on the Carmo Terraces around the corner.
In terms of accessibility, the museum is fully wheelchair accessible, with step-free entrances, ramps and a wheelchair-accessible toilet. However, you may find some uneven stone floors and steps within the convent ruins.
If you visit Carmo Convent during summer, don’t miss the immersive video mapping show in the roofless nave, bringing the story of the 1755 earthquake to life.
What to See at Carmo Archaeological Museum Lisbon
The Carmo Archaeological Museum may not be the largest museum in Lisbon, but its collection is diverse and spans from Prehistory to the Middle Ages. It is arranged across five main rooms, each with its own focus. Here are the highlights you shouldn’t miss:
Prehistory Room
This gallery shows how humans lived in the Portuguese region thousands of years before the city of Lisbon was founded. You’ll find Paleolithic bifaces and flint flakes, as well as Neolithic objects connected to funerary rituals.
Roman Room
Here you will find one of the museum’s most important treasures: the Sarcophagus of the Muses, carved in marble and decorated with figures of the nine Muses. Another highlight is the Friso dos Leões, a rare and striking example of Mozarabic art in Portugal.
Medieval Room
This room displays impressive Gothic and Manueline pieces, including stone capitals, statues and decorative fragments rescued from churches damaged in the 1755 earthquake. It also holds two important royal tombs, including the tomb of King Fernando I and the tomb of Nuno Álvares Pereira, the founder of the convent.
Epigraphy Room
Here you’ll see inscriptions, coins and engraved stones, showing how writing evolved across Lisbon’s Roman, Visigothic and medieval past.
Collectors’ Room
This part of the museum is dedicated to 19th-century archaeologists Possidónio da Silva and the Conde de S. Januário. You’ll find Egyptian sarcophagi and South American mummies.
Carmo Convent Location and How to Get There
The Carmo Convent is located in the Chiado district, right in the heart of central Lisbon. You can reach the convent easily on foot. From Baixa, you can either walk uphill or take the Santa Justa Lift, which connects directly to Largo do Carmo.
If you are arriving by metro, the closest stations are Baixa-Chiado (Blue and Green lines) and Rossio (Green line), both around a 5-minute walk. Several Carris buses in Lisbon also stop nearby, including lines 758 and 202.
If you’re arriving by tram, you can take Tram 28 and get off at Rua da Conceição (6-minute walk) or Chiado (8-minute walk).
Carmo Convent: Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a dress code at Carmo Convent?
There isn’t a dress code at Carmo Convent. We recommend wearing comfortable clothing and shoes as you’ll be walking on uneven stone floors in the ruins.
Can I visit the Carmo Convent with the Lisboa Card?
Yes, holders of the Lisboa Card receive a 20% discount on entry tickets.
More on Visit-Lisbon
City Pass Deals
