Description of the attraction
The church do Loreto is located in the Largo do Chiado square, in the Chiado district, an old district of Lisbon. It also bears another name - the Church of the Italians, since it was the Italian merchants who settled in Portugal in the 13th-15th centuries who brought the cult of Our Lady of Loret to the country.
The very first church was built in the 13th century near the walls of Lisbon. In 1573, restoration work was carried out, the building of the church was expanded and the church was consecrated as the Church of Our Lady of Loreto.
The church building that we can see now was built in 1676. During the Lisbon earthquake, the church was destroyed, like many other historical monuments of the city. The church began to be rebuilt only in 1785. The construction of the church was carried out by José da Costa e Silva, the same architect who built the magnificent and grandiose building of the Teatro San Carlos.
Both neoclassicism and mannerism are intertwined in the architecture of the church. The Church of do Loreto is a one-nave church with twelve chapels according to the number of the apostles. The chapels are decorated with Italian marble. There is an 18th century organ. In the interior design, the typical Portuguese Azulesos tiles and Italian-style furnishings attract attention. The facade was designed by the famous Italian sculptor and architect Francesco Borromini. The main facade of the church is decorated with the image of Our Lady of Loreto, as well as the episcopal coat of arms of the 17th century, flanked by two angels.
