Name of Monument:

Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

Also known as:

Estrela Basilica

Location:

Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal

Date:

1779–1790

Artists:

Architects: Mateus Vicente de Oliveira (1706–1786), Reinaldo Manuel dos Santos (?–1790); sculptors: Joaquim Machado de Castro (1731–1822), Alexandre Gomes [n.d.], João José Elveni (active 1747), José Joaquim Leitão (1731–1811), José Patrício (active 1779–1789), Faustino José Rodrigues [n.d.], Giovanni Chiari (active 1807–08; 1812–17), Painter:Pompeo Batoni (1708–1787)

Denomination / Type of monument:

Religious architecture, basilica and convent

Patron(s):

Queen Maria I

History:

During her wedding of 1760 Queen Maria I, daughter of King José I, made a vow to build a church if she had a son. Her son died before the Basilica was finished. In 1781 the convent was ready to welcome the Carmelite Order, and the Italian painter Pompeo Batoni had finished the painting of the main altar. In 1783, Joaquim Machado de Castro sculpted the terracotta Nativity scene which comprises about 500 figurines.

Description:

The Basilica was inaugurated in 1789 and forms part of a complex that includes a Carmelite Convent. The façade is flanked by two bell towers and crowned by a classical triangular pediment. Over the four main columns of the façade are four monumental statues depicting Faith, Devotion, Gratitude and Liberality. Within four niches are St. Theresa of Avila, St. Mary Magdalene de Passi, St. Elijah and St. John of Cross. Under the pediment there is a high-relief sculpture of the Adoration of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Inside, the floor is made up of biomorphic and floral elements constructed out of pink, black and white limestone. In the High-Choir there is a Baroque organ made by António Xavier Machado e Cerveira. The nave has six lateral altars. The main chapel has a limestone altarpieces flanked by Corinthian columns. The painting by Pompeo Batoni depicts the Consecrated Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

The monumental Estrela Basilica was founded by Queen Maria I and was the first church in the world dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Its Latin cross plan was inspired by both the Mafra Basilica and the churches of the post-1755 Lisbon Earthquake. Originally Estrela Basilica was connected to a Carmelite convent. The façade, with its classical triangular pediment and monumental sculptures, the elegant bell towers and the magnificent cupola are notable architectural features.

How Monument was dated:

Historical evidence and stylistic analysis

Special features

Façade Sculptures

Exterior

1779–1789

Joaquim Machado de Castro (1731–1822)and his workshop: Alexandre Gomes [n.d.], João José Elveni (active 1747), José Joaquim Leitão (1731–1811), José Patrício (active 1779–1789) Faustino José Rodrigues [n.d.], Giovanni Chiari (active 1807–08; 1812–17).

The main body of the façade is furnished by allegoric sculptures of Faith, Devotion, Gratitude and Liberality, and in the lower level, on the side, there are niches within which are St. Teresa of Avila and St. Mary Magdalene of Pazzi. On the upper section there are sculptures of St. Elijah and St. John of Cross. The central high -relief of the Sacred Heart of Jesus is flanked by two angels.

Cupola

Exterior and interior

1778/9–1789

Architects: Mateus Vicente de Oliveira (1706–1786), Reinaldo Manuel dos Santos (?–1790)

The magnificent cupola, inspired by that of Mafra Basilica, is inspired by Rococo design.

View of the Nave

Interior

1778/9–1789

Architects: Mateus Vicente de Oliveira (1706–1786), Reinaldo Manuel dos Santos (?–1790)

Although inspired by Mafra Basilica, the interior design of Estrela Basilica owes more to the interior design of Lisbon churches rebuilt after the 1755 earthquake.

Nativity

Interior

1783

Joaquim Machado de Castro (1731–1822) and his workshop

Portugal’s largest monumental late Baroque Nativity scene (3 x 5 x 4 x 5 meters), it contains around 500 figures depicting six biblical narratives, the Nativity, Annunciation to the Shepherds, Adoration of the Magi, Adoration of the Shepherds, Massacre of the Innocents and Presentation in the Temple.

Tomb of Queen Maria I

Interior

First half of the 19th century

Faustino José Rodrigues [n.d.], Giovanni Chiari (active 1807–08; 1812–17)

The Neo-Classical tomb of queen Maria I – made of white, black and pink marble over a plinth – is decorated with two urns and an inscription identifying the queen. The sarcophagus is supported by two lions. At the top is a medallion, containing an effigy of Queen Maria I, presented by Fame and a putto.

Selected bibliography:

Machado, C. V., Colecção de Memórias, Lisbon, 1822.
Cidade, M. P., Memórias da Basílica da Estrela escrita em 1790, Coimbra, 1926.
Pais, A. M. Nobre da Silva, Presépios Portugueses Monumentais do Século XVIII em Terracota, UNL, Lisbon, 1998.
Figueiredo, C., Alteração, Alterabilidade e Património Cultural construído: o caso da Basílica da Estrela, Tese de Doutoramento, Instituto Superior Técnico, Lisbon, 1999.

Citation of this web page:

Rui Oliveira Lopes "Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus" in "Discover Baroque Art", Museum With No Frontiers, 2025.
https://baroqueart.museumwnf.org/database_item.php?id=monument;bar;pt;mon11;16;en

Prepared by: Rui Oliveira Lopes
Translation by: Cristina CorreiaCristina Correia

SURNAME: Correia
NAME: Cristina

AFFILIATION: Eça de Queirós Public High School, Lisbon and MWNF

TITLE: Senior Teacher, Local Co-ordinator and Vice-President of MWNF

CV:
Cristina Correia is a History graduate and, since 1985, a Senior Teacher of History at the Eça de Queirós Public High School, Lisbon where she also lectures in Portuguese Language and Culture for non-native speakers. From 1987 to 1998 she was involved with youth affairs, primary prevention and the Camões Institute. She is Vice-President and Local Co-ordinator (Portugal) for MWNF.
Translation copyedited by: Mandi GomezMandi Gomez

Amanda Gomez is a freelance copy-editor and proofreader working in London. She studied Art History and Literature at Essex University (1986–89) and received her MA (Area Studies Africa: Art, Literature, African Thought) from SOAS in 1990. She worked as an editorial assistant for the independent publisher Bellew Publishing (1991–94) and studied at Bookhouse and the London College of Printing on day release. She was publications officer at the Museum of London until 2000 and then took a role at Art Books International, where she worked on projects for independent publishers and arts institutions that included MWNF’s English-language editions of the books series Islamic Art in the Mediterranean. She was part of the editorial team for further MWNF iterations: Discover Islamic Art in the Mediterranean Virtual Museum and the illustrated volume Discover Islamic Art in the Mediterranean.

True to its ethos of connecting people through the arts, MWNF has provided Amanda with valuable opportunities for discovery and learning, increased her editorial experience, and connected her with publishers and institutions all over the world. More recently, the projects she has worked on include MWNF’s Sharing History Virtual Museum and Exhibition series, Vitra Design Museum’s Victor Papanek and Objects of Desire, and Haus der Kulturen der Welt’s online publication 2 or 3 Tigers and its volume Race, Nation, Class.

MWNF Working Number: PT 16