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Chapel of Nossa Senhora da Conceição

Located on the raised plain occupied by the enclosure of the Convent of the Order of Christ, halfway between the world of men, the city, and that of God, the Convent, is a small chapel built in limestone. It faces west and has a centralised rectangular layout and can be seen from various points in the city. From a distance, seen from the town, it looks like a small temple. Closer up, it looks like a monumental sculpture and, as one approaches, its monumentality seems to diminish, only to impose itself again when one enters the chapel.
The Chapel of Nossa Senhora da Conceição (Our Lady of the Conception) was designed and built by João de Castilho at the behest of João III. The construction work stretched from 1547 to 1572 and was most likely completed by Filipe Terzi.
The chapel is a small temple with a triple-naved space where everything contributes to the harmony of the architectural orders represented in it. A unique game of light creates an illusion of grandeur and depth.
A rectangular building with a Latin cross layout, three naves and a slightly prominent transept, it is distinguished on the exterior by pilasters and is finished off with a triangular pediment.
It may originally have been built as a burial place for João III, who was laid to rest in the Jerónimos Monastery in Lisbon.