Church of São Francisco (Évora)

Why go

The Church of São Francisco stands on Praça 1º de Maio in Évora. The church's own site says the Franciscans arrived in Évora in 1224 and that a new church was built over the earlier Gothic one, begun under King Afonso V, developed under João II and carried through under King Manuel; the Municipality of Évora describes it as Manueline-Mudéjar and Renaissance, a royal church where Prince Afonso married Isabel of Castile in 1490. After the religious orders were abolished in 1834 the convent buildings declined quickly, but the church and the Chapel of Bones were kept, helped by the move of the São Pedro parish seat to the church. The church's visit page says visits to the church itself are free, while a single ticket covers the museum areas: the Chapel of Bones, the chapter room, the museum of sacred art, the Royal Tribune room, the Galilee terrace and the nativity-scene collection. The same page describes the church as a private religious body and says guides, agencies, schools and others who want priority entry must book and pay in advance, at the desk or by email.