Why go

Lisbon Cathedral, known simply as the Sé, is the oldest church in the city and one of its most familiar sights, its twin crenellated towers framing the yellow trams that rattle past its door. Building began in 1147, soon after Afonso Henriques took the city from the Moors, probably on the site of the main mosque, and the result looks more like a fortress than a church, with thick walls built to double as a stronghold.

Over the centuries earthquakes, fires and restorations have left a mix of styles: a Romanesque nave, a Gothic ambulatory with royal tombs, and Baroque and later additions. The 20th-century restoration stripped away much of the later decoration to bring back the medieval character you see today. In 2026 the Sé was voted one of the new Seven Wonders of Portugal in the religious category.

It is a working cathedral, the seat of the Patriarch of Lisbon, and around half a million people visit it every year.

What to see

  • The west front and rose window. The towers and the restored rose window are best seen from the square, which is free.
  • The nave. A tall, plain Romanesque nave leads to the main altar, with side chapels along the way.
  • The Gothic ambulatory. Chapels behind the altar hold 14th-century tombs, including those of a nobleman and his wife with their dog at their feet.
  • The high choir and balcony. The upper gallery gives views down the nave and from the balcony between the towers.
  • The Treasury. Four rooms of silver, vestments and reliquaries, including relics linked to Saint Vincent, the city’s patron.

Plan your visit

Tourist visits run from Monday to Saturday. From November to the spring the cathedral is open from 10am to 6pm, with last entry around 5.30pm; in summer it opens from 9.30am to 7pm, although some official pages list shorter hours on Wednesdays and Saturdays, so check before you go. On Sundays and holy days only the prayer chapel is open, and visitors are welcome at Mass but not to sightsee.

The ticket costs €7 in 2026 and covers the naves, ambulatory, high choir, balcony and Treasury. Children aged 7 to 12 and Lisboa Card holders pay €5, and under-7s go free. A Sé Digital phone guide costs €3 more. The Gothic cloister, with its excavations of Roman, Islamic and medieval Lisbon, has been closed since 2018; the cathedral expects to reopen it in 2026 but no date had been announced on 12 November.

Tram 28 stops outside. The walk up from the Baixa takes about ten minutes.

If you are short of time, the facade and the square are free to see, and the tram 28 stop outside makes the Sé easy to fit into a ride across Alfama. Inside, keep your voice down and avoid taking photographs during services.

Nearby

The Church of Santo António, built on the saint’s traditional birthplace, is across the road. The Santa Luzia and Portas do Sol viewpoints are a few minutes uphill, with São Jorge Castle above them, and the lanes of Alfama run down towards the river.