Beja Cathedral

A Mannerist temple in the heart of the Alentejo.

The parish of Santiago Maior is one of the oldest in Beja. Originally it was based in the Church of Santo Amaro, but in the 14 th century it was transferred to this locale, where a church already existed.

The present temple, of Mannerist style, dates from 1590, when it was built by the will of the Archbishop D. Teotónio of Bragança following a project by Jorge Rodrigues. In terms of architecture this temple follows the Mannerist style already applied on other monuments in the Alentejo, such as, for example, the Church of Santo António in Évora.

Inside it is richly decorated. The altarpiece of the main chapel is in gilded carving, by the Lisbon master Manuel João da Fonseca, dating from 1696-97. Also of note are the polychrome altarpieces in the side chapels and the painting of the Altar of St. Joseph, attributed to André Reinoso. In the chapel dedicated to Our Lady of the Conception, a series of blue and white tile s panels, dating from the 18 th century, deserve attention. Also worthy of mention is the altar dedicated to St. Sezinando, native of Beja and the city’s Patron Saint.

In the 1930s the bishop of Beja, D. José Patrocínio Dias, asked the Holy See to elevate the Church of Santiago Maior to Cathedral of Beja, consecrated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. It is the only Cathedral in Portugal that does not invoke Our Lady of the Conception. Renovation work was carried out, during which the Mannerist and Baroque components were preserved, and the Cathedral’s treasures were enriched with pieces of sacred art from the extinct convents of Lisbon and the heritage of the House of Bragança.