They stand side by side, separated by a narrow house. The Carmo and Carmelitas churches seem to be one, but they have very different stories.
Between these two churches lies the narrowest building in the city, which gives access to the bell tower. However, to get there, it is necessary to climb three floors and go over the dome of the Carmelite church.
The Church of the Carmelitas was the first to be built and is next to the old Convent of Our Lady of Porto (now GNR headquarters). It is a church of the seventeenth century, with a classic façade and exuberant interior, in Porto rococo wood carving. It was the first house of the Order of the Discalced Carmelites monks. The foundation stone was laid on May 5, 1619, and the work was completed in 1622.
The Carmo Church is more recent, dating back to the second half of the eighteenth century. Thus, the rococo style (characterized by a huge profusion of decorative details) is much more evident, both in the exterior and interior architecture. The tiles that cover the lateral facade were placed in 1912. They were designed by Silvestre Silvestri and are allusive to the cult of Our Lady.
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