Versão portuguesa aqui.

GPS 38.75516759284771, -9.137930201886148

The Church of São João de Brito is located in the former parish of São João de Brito, currently the parish of Alvalade, in Lisbon.

The Church of S. João de Brito was inaugurated on October 2, 1955.

The project was conceived by the architect Vasco Morais Palmeira (Regaleira), in 1951. Construction began in 1952, directed by the engineers Pinheiro da Silva and Marques da Silva and by the builder Diamantino Tojal. The main façade, in the form of a very pronounced gable, has a bell tower and a wrought iron cross at the top, 5 meters high. In the center there is a large window with diamond-shaped panes, which has a granite statue of the patron saint, sculpted by Joaquim Correia, in front of it. At the top of this window are the arms of the Cardinal Patriarch of Lisbon. The large granite frame is engraved with the words: INGREDIMINI IN CIVITATEM DOMINI - AEDIFICATA EST VOBIS ECCLESIA NOVA MCMLII (Enter the city of the Lord - a new church was built for you 1952). The interior was adorned with beautiful polychrome tiles from Fábrica Santana; by a painting (Baptism of Jesus) by Severo Portela, in the baptistery, where the registry office is currently located; and by rich pottery images:

• S. João de Brito, by Soares Branco (placed to the right of the altarpiece)

• Sacred Heart of Jesus, Our Lady of Fátima, St. Francis Xavier, St. Anthony and the 14 angels of the Cross, by Amélia Carvalheira.

• S. José and Santa Teresa, by Stella Albuquerque. The interior of the church is a Latin cross with a single nave, 59 m long and 16.5 m wide; the transept measures 12.5X36m and the presbytery 11.5X14cm. The maximum interior height is 18.2m. It has capacity for 1000 seats. The ceiling is a barrel vault, and the floor is made of light wooden planks, with areas of gray limestone at the entrance, between the pews, in the body of the Church and in the transept, and the entire floor of the presbytery.

The main altar is made of Viana green marble. Above there is a lamp suspended from the ceiling, a double circle of about 3 m in diameter, forming something like a crown that illuminates the altar area. The tabernacle is large, square, with golden metal doors on which several pieces of colored glass are glued which, when they reflect light, produce beautiful effects. The throne, in levels arranged in steps, is hidden by a velvet curtain. Funds from the sale of the Church of Conceição Velha (built between 1679 and 1730), then located at the intersection of Rua Nova do Almada and Rua da Conceição, were used to build this temple. Part of its estate was also used for this new church, namely:

• The large crucifix (placed at the top of the chancel's back wall);

• The statue of Nossa Senhora da Conceição (placed to the left of the altarpiece);

• The jasper medallion with the image of the Virgin in high relief (placed on the choir wall);

• O retábulo de colunas coríntias encimado pela figuração simbólica do Espírito Santo;

• The two side altars;

• The frames of two lavishly worked jasper doors (placed in the transept);

• Liturgical implements.