Igreja da Memória

Ironically for a building that today houses the mortal remains of the Marquês de Pombal, most of its construction took place during the reign of his sworn enemy, Dona Maria I. The Church of Memory is so named because it marks the spot of the 1759 assassination attempt on Dom José I, having been projected the following year as an expression of gratitude for his survival. After the death of its Italian architect, Giovanni de Bibbiena, a few months after the foundation stone was laid, work continued for a couple of years then halted. In 1779, it resumed under Mateus Vicente, architect of the larger Basílica de Estrela; elements here are reminiscent of that church, such as the dome and drum.