Estrela Basilica

Estrela Basilica tickets: which one to buy

The Estrela Basilica stands on the Praça da Estrela in the Estrela district of Lisbon, Portugal, opposite the Estrela Garden, and entry to the basilica is free, while climbing to the roof terraces and the dome is ticketed. The roof offers views over Lisbon and the Tagus river. The famous tram 28 stops in front of the basilica, making it easy to reach from the city centre.

Visitors often combine the basilica with the Estrela Garden, one of the most pleasant parks in Lisbon, with a bandstand, ponds and cafés, the English Cemetery, where the novelist Henry Fielding is buried, the São Bento Palace, the seat of the Portuguese parliament, and the Campo de Ourique market. The basilica holds a famous nativity scene. It is active, and visiting pauses during services. Modest dress is expected. Tram 28 is often crowded, and walking from the Bairro Alto takes about twenty minutes.

Visiting Estrela Basilica: what to see

The basilica was commissioned by Queen Maria I of Portugal, who vowed to build a church if she gave birth to a son and heir. Her son, José, was born in 1761, and construction began in 1779 and was completed in 1790, designed by Mateus Vicente de Oliveira and Reinaldo Manuel dos Santos in a late baroque and neoclassical style. Sadly, José died of smallpox in 1788, before the basilica was finished. The basilica has a large white dome, visible from much of Lisbon, and a facade with two bell towers and statues of saints and allegorical figures. Inside, the basilica is decorated with coloured marble in grey, pink and yellow, and paintings by Pompeo Batoni. The tomb of Queen Maria I lies in the basilica.

A chapel holds a nativity scene by the sculptor Joaquim Machado de Castro, with more than five hundred cork and terracotta figures. The dome's interior is decorated with coloured marble in geometric patterns. The high altar is framed by columns and holds a painting of the Sacred Heart by Pompeo Batoni. The side chapels hold marble altars and paintings by Portuguese artists. The roof terraces offer views of the dome at close range and over the rooftops of Lisbon. The basilica's bell towers flank the entrance. The nativity scene's figures include shepherds, animals and the Three Kings in elaborate costumes. The basilica's marble floor is inlaid in several colours. Queen Maria I's tomb is decorated with marble and gilding. The facade's statues represent faith, devotion, liberality and gratitude.

Estrela Basilica opening hours and the best time to go

The basilica is open daily, with a break at lunchtime, and the roof terraces have set hours. Lisbon is pleasant for much of the year, with hot summers and mild winters. The Estrela Garden is beautiful in spring. The nativity scene is especially popular at Christmas. The Santo António festival in June fills Lisbon with street parties. Allow about forty-five minutes for the basilica and roof, and relax in the Estrela Garden across the street. The Campo de Ourique market, about ten minutes' walk away, has food stalls, a wine bar and fresh produce.