Monuments

Where the chair of the first bishop of Lisbon is kept.

Located at the top of a hill from which one of the best panoramic views of the city can be enjoyed, this chapel was built just after the reconquest of Lisbon and, like the hill itself, dedicated to St. Gens - the first bishop of the city, who was martyred at the spot in the year 284. It was entrusted to the Augustine Friars, and it was they who brought the stone chair that belonged to St. Gens to the chapel.

In 1291 the Augustine Friars moved to the new Convent of Our Lady of Grace, which had been erected on a neighbouring hill and, until 1306, the chapel, like the chair, was placed in the charge of the Brotherhood of St. Gens, created for that purpose. The friars later regained possession of the hermitage and, gradually, Marian Devotion eventually superseded the importance given to the martyr.

The building was practically destroyed by the earthquake of 1755. The current hermitage was rebuilt in 1796 following a project by Honorato José Teixeira. It is a very simple building, with a single nave of baroque style and two altars. Inside, one will find a baroque altarpiece with the image of Our Lady of the Mount, rococo-style tile panels with scenes from the life of Mary, an Indo-Portuguese ivory Christ and an 18th century crib - as well as the much-celebrated chair of St. Gens, carved in the rock and covered with marble, which tradition claims has beneficial qualities. Popularly, it is said that pregnant women who sit on the stone chair and ask Our Lady of Grace for a blessing will have a good delivery.

Outside, under the trees, one can enjoy the Miradouro, which provides a privileged viewpoint over the Castle of São Jorge and downtown Lisbon.