Walking through the city historical center you will find one of the oldest temples in Beja: the Church of Santa Maria. This church dates back to the Visigothic period of the second half of the 13th century and during the Muslim occupation it was used as mosque.

The History

Back in the Muslim occupation around it was the old Beja fair and it underwent several alterations and amputations over the centuries. The bell towers, the apse and the galilee are its oldest architectural elements.

The Outside

In the bell tower there is a clock designed by the watchmaker António Franco from Beja, which in 1761 replaced the one that existed there and had been placed there by order of the King Manuel I. The bell in this tower is a valuable example from the 14th century.

The Inside

Inside we find a church consisting of 3 vaulted naves, divided by huge cylindrical columns, inside we can also appreciate a “Tree of Jesse” and an altarpiece representing the last supper painted by Pedro Alexandrino.

Church frontage

Church entrances

Church bell tower