Santa Maria do Castelo Church
Part of the Abrantes Fortress, the Santa Maria do Castelo Church was built by King Afonso II in 1215, when the Order of the Temple held most of the territory along the Tagus. After being destroyed by an earthquake in 1429, it was rebuilt between 1433 and 1451 by Diogo Fernandes de Almeida, Mayor of Abrantes. On the outside, it has a façade with a portal in a broken arch and a bell tower of great stylistic sobriety, despite some surprises inside, such as the familiar Pantheon of the Abrantes’ Counts.
From 1921 to 2021, this space has also accommodated the D. Lopo de Almeida Regional Museum (the 6th museum to be established in Portugal), where its vast collection of sacred art, archaeology and ethnography was exhibited. In December 2021, the collection of this museum became part of the Iberian Museum of Archaeology and Art. It was also during this year that the temple was valued as the Pantheon of the Almeida Family. Enjoy the remarkable Gothic and Manueline architectural details, as well as the collection of Hispano-Arabic tiles from the 16th century and fresco painting.
Address
Castelo/Fortaleza de Abrantes, Praça Dom Francisco de Almeida
2200-242 Abrantes
39.46471001524655, -8.1951130627931
museusdeabrantes@cm-abrantes.pt
http://www.turismo.cm-abrantes.pt
Schedule
Summer schedule:
Tuesday to Sunday: 10 am — 1 pm and 2 pm — 6 pm.
Winter schedule:
Tuesday to Sunday: 9 am — 1 pm and 2 pm — 6 pm.
Closed on Mondays and holidays (except on April 25, June 10 and 14, October 5, and December 1)
Guided Tours and Educational Services.
(Prior appointment through museumsdeabrantes@cm-abrantes.pt).
Paid admission.