Igreja da Madre de Deus and Museu Nacional do Azulejo

(Mother of God Church and National Tile Museum)

Although the church was substantially rebuilt after the great earthquake,
much of the earlier art inside survived, along with the outside Manueline
west entrance. The lower walls are lined with 18th-century Dutch tiles, of a
deeper blue than the Portuguese examples. The altar is gilded Baroque and
holds a fine pulpit. Steps lead down to the surviving part of the original church, where the walls are lined with 16th-century azulejos from Seville.
The main, Renaissance cloister extends off this chancel, and beyond it is a
Manueline cloister. 
 

 Igreja de São Roque (São Roque Church)

Although the 16th-century exterior is unremarkable, inside you'll find what
may be the most sumptuous and costly chapel in the world.

The nave's flat wooden ceiling is a trompe l'oeil vault painted with scenes
of the Apocalypse. Four ornate chapels line each side. Down the right-hand side, there are lovely azulejos and a fine painting in the third chapel. Continuing around, the chapel of São João Baptista is last on the left before the high altar, and unique in the world. In 1742 King João V
commissioned a chapel of semiprecious stones to be built in Rome. When
completed, it was blessed by the Pope, dismantled, transported on three
ships, and reconstructed again in Lisbon in 1750. Lapis lazuli dominates,
but there are elements of rare green porphyry, amethyst, jade, and several
sorts of marble. What appears to be a painting above the altar is actually a
finely detailed and polished mosaic done in stone. Note the chandeliers and
their "chains."

After a look at the sacristy azulejos, located to the left of the São João
Baptista chapel, leave the church and head for the treasures in the Museu
de São Roque, to the right of the church entrance. One bowl hefts at more
than 14 kilograms (31 pounds) of gold, a miter is covered in Brazilian diamonds, and a pair of gilded silver candlesticks together approach 900
kilograms (1,984 pounds).