Estrela - Basílica e Jardim

It's Monday. We're running some errands to the bank and so forth. We have time to stop in at the Basílica da Estrela. It's a good-sized neo-classical church, built in the late 1700's by the order of Queen Maria to celebrate the birth of her son. We been in the area before, and seen this church from various distances, but were never inside. Sometimes it's good just to get under a really good dome.

 

The exterior is fairly clean, with lots of excitement at the tops of things (crosses, flames, people, bells). There are four free-standing columns at the entrance holding four female figures; the men seem to be confined to small side niches. The church appears to be executed entirely in the composite order, which is unusual to my eye. The interior is pretty, if a little busy (lots of flat layers), with some interesting lighting going on in the side chapels, giving everything an edgy glow. But the dome is quite good, with sturdy geometries, and striking polychrome banding; lots of dramatic sunlight pours in from the arched windows in the drum.

 

 

The real treat, we find, is that the roof level (terraço) is accessible, for four euro. The nun lets us into a teeny garden, and opens a little door. Inside is a very tight spiral, stone stair. Thinking we were going to a "terrace", the way up spirals for some time, and the radius is dizzying. We pop out from inside a round landing chamber at the base of one of the bell towers, right behind the cross from the main pediment.

Close-up views of the bell towers and of the dome exterior are fascinating; views to the city are tremendous. There's a cool breeze, and we linger for quite a while. A door into the drum of the dome provides access to a gallery, just above the pendentives, with views into the altar and the two main chapels. The quality of the stone work is remarkable, and the church is aging well.

  

 

 

After exiting the Basílica, we take a few lazy laps in the garden, Jardim da Estrela. It's a lovely, well-kept, green space reminiscent of that familiar romantic look, like a piece of Boston's Emerald Necklace – both being built in the mid-1800's. The Jardim displays an eclectic mix of flowering trees, partially clad statues, and some properly organized geese.