Panteão Nacional

The Church of Santa Engrácia is a 17th century monument converted into the National Pantheon in the 20th century. The construction of the current building began in 1681 and it substituted previous collapsed churches dedicated to Saint Engrácia (a martyr of the city of Braga). When João Antunes, the royal architect, died in 1712, King D.João V concentrated his efforts in the Convent of Mafra and the church was left unfinished until the 20th century (the dome was added in 1966). This is the reason why the expression "Obras de Santa Engrácia" (Saint Engrácia's works) became a Portuguese synonym for long unfinished works. The personalities buried here include the Presidents Manuel de Arriaga, Teófilo Braga, Sidónio Pais and Óscar Carmona, writers Almeida Garrett and Guerra Junqueiro and fado singer Amália Rodrigues. There are cenotaphs to Luís de Camões, Nuno Álvares Pereira and Vasco da Gama, among others. This picture of the Phanteon dome was taken from Portas do Sol Square in Alfama in a July afternoon.

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