Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Borneo orangutan
Malaysia • 12 days, 11 nights
Wild Borneo: Secrets of an Ancient Rainforest
from
Pastel de nata
Portugal • 8 days, 7 nights
Portugal: A Culinary Adventure from Porto to Lisbon
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
The wall commemorating 11,908 Jewish victims of the Shoah from Frankfurt.
Börneplatz Memorial
Entrance to the munitions area of the lower part of the bunker
Simserhof
Carlos Calderón Yruegas calls the villa his personal playground.
Villa Tabaiba
Apples and pears, Spitalfields Market.
Brick Lane Roundels
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
The sign declares this the number-one gumbo shop in town.
Gumbo Hut Shioya
The pavlova comes crowned with jewel-like fruit.
Central Park Boathouse
The Village Tavern of Long Grove - exterior.
The Village Tavern
Hunter House Hamburgers
L’Escamoteur
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Biosphere 2 campus (2016)
Biosphere 2: How Volunteers Survived for 2 Years in an Airtight Habitat
about 17 hours ago
Places like Forest Grove linger on the edge of wilderness and civilization.
Listening for Echoes of the Forest Grove Sound
about 19 hours ago
Longwood House, where Napoleon Bonaparte spent his final years.
The Longwood House: Napoleon Bonaparte’s Beautiful Prison
1 day ago
 Fenway Park at night
How Was Your First Trip With Your Significant Other?
3 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Portugal Lisbon Church of St. Dominic

Church of St. Dominic

The scorched Lisbon church that survived two earthquakes and a massive fire.

Lisbon, Portugal

Added By
Carlos Sousa
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
Altar with its melted look   Carlos Sousa / Atlas Obscura User
Altar with its melted look   Carlos Sousa / Atlas Obscura User
  Carlos Sousa / Atlas Obscura User
View towards the main entrance/exit   Carlos Sousa / Atlas Obscura User
View down the nave to the altar   Carlos Sousa / Atlas Obscura User
Star of David monument outside the church   Carlos Sousa / Atlas Obscura User
  Max Cortesi / Atlas Obscura User
  Max Cortesi / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Still standing in the heart of the city’s downtown, near Rossio and Figueira squares, Lisbon’s Church of St. Dominic has survived two earthquakes–one in 1531 and a more devastating quake in 1755–and a fire in the 20th century.

Its foundations date back to the 13th century. Today, the church retains a few of its Romanesque elements, such as a Latin cross plan, round arches, and cradle-vaulted height.

For many years, the church was the Portuguese royalty's preferred location for weddings and christenings, but the building also honors its darker past. It was here where the 1506 massacre of Jewish peoples and New Christians began. A round sculpture embedded with a Star of David sits near the church's entrance, memorializing the ignominious event.

The altar was updated in 1748, and the rest of the edifice was redesigned in the Baroque style after the 1755 natural disaster’s tremors and subsequent tsunami caused extensive damage. Yet it was the massive fire of 1959 that left behind the scorched look it still sports today. Since, its walls, pillars, and stone sculptures surrounding the altar, resemble crumbling, melting candles.

The structural elements that survived the fire were left as-is, partially because of budgetary concerns but also a wish to remind visitors of life’s evanescence. Beyond a memento mori, the remains also testify to the resilience of Lisbon and its people.

With a contemporary, coral-painted ceiling and a few modern decorative and technological touches, the Church of St. Dominic continues to attract local parishioners, expats, and tourists though its daily masses and historical significance. 

Related Tags

Earthquakes Natural Disaster Churches History Fires Architecture

Know Before You Go

The Church of St. Dominic is open daily from 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. The schedule for daily masses can be found on their website. 

Dress modestly (ex: covered shoulders) as you may be turned away by the doorman. 

Atlas Obscura Adventures

Portugal: A Culinary Adventure from Porto to Lisbon

Explore Portugal through food, from the cities to the seaside.

Book Now

Community Contributors

Added By

Carlos Sousa

Edited By

jt168, Max Cortesi

  • jt168
  • Max Cortesi

Published

May 28, 2024

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://10best.usatoday.com/destinations/portugal/lisbon/baixa-chiado/attractions/igreja-de-sao-domingos/
  • https://www.urbstravel.com/post/history-of-igreja-de-sao-domingos
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lisbon_massacre
  • https://www.madaboutlisbon.com/sao_domingos_church.html
  • https://www.afar.com/places/igreja-de-sao-domingos-lisboa
  • https://10best.usatoday.com/destinations/portugal/lisbon/articles/igreja-de-s-xe3-o-domingos-a-lisbon-church-resurrected-from-disaster/
Church of St. Dominic
6 Largo São Domingos
Lisbon, 1150-114
Portugal
38.714849, -9.138896
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

A Ginjinha

Lisbon, Portugal

miles away

Hospital de Bonecas

Lisbon, Portugal

miles away

Santa Justa Lift

Lisbon, Portugal

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Lisbon

Lisbon

Portugal

Places 37
Stories 1

Nearby Places

A Ginjinha

Lisbon, Portugal

miles away

Hospital de Bonecas

Lisbon, Portugal

miles away

Santa Justa Lift

Lisbon, Portugal

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Lisbon

Lisbon

Portugal

Places 37
Stories 1

Related Places

  • The Gothic church towers above the Old Town.

    Brașov, Romania

    Biserica Neagră (The Black Church)

    A fire once nearly devoured this gorgeous 14th-century Gothic cathedral.

  • The courtyard in the main complex.

    Tatev, Armenia

    Gavazan Column at Tatev Monastery

    Centuries before the modern seismograph, Armenian monks measured quakes with this tilting pillar.

  • Through the rusty bars to the abbey’s interior

    Sannicola, Italy

    Antica Abbazia di San Mauro (Abbey of San Mauro)

    This 10th-century seaside abbey holds spectacular views and a window into the past.

  • Antonito, Colorado

    El Santuario de los Pobladores

    Colorado's oldest church is now home to the largest handmade adobe labyrinth in the world.

  • “Fluctuat nec mergitur”

    San Francisco, California

    'City of Paris' Stained Glass

    The historic building's ornate stained glass fixture has survived the devastating 1906 earthquake, ensuing fires, and multiple redevelopment attempts.

  • The Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption is Northern Kentucky’s very own Notre Dame.

    Covington, Kentucky

    Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption

    Northern Kentucky’s very own Notre Dame showcases intricate stained glass and the bones of saints.

  • A large bone hangs from a chain in a church.

    Warszawa, Poland

    The Mammoth Bone

    A massive mammoth bone has been on display inside this church since the 18th century.

  • The facade remains quite impressive despite the church’s dilapidated state.

    Georgetown, South Carolina

    Prince Frederick’s Chapel Ruins

    A haunting—but not haunted—chapel remains in the woods.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.