Monument

The National Pantheon, Church of Santa Engrácia, stands as an exceptional exemplar of Baroque architecture in Portugal, situated on the bank of the River Tagus and overlooking the historic quarter of Lisbon. It is a distinctive landmark of the city’s skyline, from whose terrace one may contemplate an unparalleled panorama of both the city and the river.

Within its funerary chambers repose Presidents of the Republic Manuel de Arriaga, Teófilo Braga, Sidónio Pais, and Óscar Carmona; the writers Almeida Garrett, Aquilino Ribeiro, Guerra Junqueiro, João de Deus, and Sophia de Mello Breyner Andresen; the singer and actress Amália Rodrigues; the footballer Eusébio da Silva Ferreira; and Marshal Humberto Delgado.

The National Pantheon fulfils the mission of honouring, promoting, and disseminating the memory of the lives and works of the distinguished figures enshrined within its walls.

Distinguished not only by its unusual proportions, but above all by its innovative design and the originality of its undulating walls, the first solution of its kind attempted in Portugal, the Church of Santa Engrácia–National Pantheon stands as a unique monument of Portuguese Baroque architecture. The building follows a Greek cross plan, that is, a cross with four equal arms, with curved elevations accentuated at the corners by turrets.

Inside, enhanced by magnificent, coloured marble decoration and crowned by a majestic dome reaching a height of 80 metres, are located the cenotaphs of Nuno Álvares Pereira, Infante D. Henrique, Pedro Álvares Cabral, Afonso de Albuquerque, Vasco da Gama, and Luís de Camões.

The four tomb chambers situated at the corners of the ground floor enshrine the remains of Presidents of the Republic Manuel de Arriaga, Teófilo Braga, Sidónio Pais, and Óscar Carmona; the writers Almeida Garrett, Aquilino Ribeiro, Guerra Junqueiro, João de Deus, Sophia de Mello Breyner Andresen, and Eça de Queiroz; the singer and actress Amália Rodrigues; the footballer Eusébio da Silva Ferreira; and Marshal Humberto Delgado.

This amphitheatre-style space, once dedicated to the singing of devotional hymns, provides a view over the central nave and its semi-domes, together with the magnificent 18th-century organ that dominates the church’s high altar

This space features elements preserved from the original church, liturgical metalwork employed in the celebration of the inaugural Mass of the National Pantheon, and a distinctive collection of plaster models and maquettes from the campaign to complete the “Works of Santa Engrácia."

Located in Tower III, the exhibition hall regularly presents exhibitions that explore the history of the monument, its enduring legacy, and the lives of the eminent figures commemorated here.

The National Pantheon is situated atop one of the hills in eastern Lisbon, overlooking the river, with its terrace rising to a height of 40 metres.