Alfama

The Alfama is the oldest district in Lisbon. It stretches down the hillside between São Jorge Castle and the Tagus river. The area covers several parishes, including São Miguel and Santo Estêvão. Narrow lanes and small squares form a maze through the neighbourhood. Alfama once held the whole city under Moorish rule. Later it became home to fishermen and the poor. Today it still carries that character despite recent restorations. The district contains many historical sites and Fado bars. The Rua do Barão runs from the old Door of the Alfama to the cathedral’s walls. João Fernandes da Silveira, the first Baron of Alvito, once lived there. The 1755 earthquake spared Alfama, leaving its medieval layout intact. The Castle of São Jorge overlooks the area from above. Terraces such as Miradouro de Santa Luzia and Miradouro das Portas do Sol offer views over the city. Several churches stand in Alfama. Lisbon Cathedral, built between the 12th and 14th centuries, is the oldest. The Convent of the Grace, an 18th-century building, sits near the castle. The Monastery of São Vicente de Fora, from the late 16th to 18th centuries, holds the tombs of the Braganza kings. The Church of Santa Engrácia, a 17th-century structure, now serves as the National Pantheon. Fado music often fills the air in its bars and restaurants.