Parish of Estrela

Lisbon's Neighborhoods

All Parishes of Lisbon

The parish of Estrela, one of the new parishes of the capital, comprises the old parishes of Lapa, Santos-o-Velho and Prazeres (read more below); is located at west of the Historical Center of Lisbon.

Populous parish
With more than 20,000 inhabitants, the parish of Estrela is the the fourteenth most populous parish in Lisbon, ahead of Carnide, with less than 18,000 inhabitants.





Origin of name
Curious about the origin of the name? The origin of the name is due to a Benedictine convent founded in 1572, dedicated to Nossa Senhora da Estrela (Our Lady of the Star).


Historical Center of Lisbon
It is also in the parish of Estrela that some attractions of the Historical Center of Lisbon (see below).

Find out more: Historical Center of Lisbon

Area and Population

Stable resident population
With 4.6 km², the Freguesia da Estrela has a population of 20,308 inhabitants (INE, 2021). In 2011, the parish had 20,128 inhabitants (idem), with practically no drop in population resident during this period.

Average population density
With 4,376 inhabitants per km², the parish of Estrela has a population density slightly below average.

Residential neighborhood
Estrela has in its favor the proximity of the Historical Center of Lisbon and a good transport network and public services.

Lapa

The former parish of Lapa, where the Royal Basilica and Convent of the Sacred Heart of Jesus the Basilica da Estrela, and the São Bento Palace occupies the northeast part of the current parish of Estrela.

Find out more: the Bairro da Lapa

Pleasures

The former parish of Prazeres, where the large garden Tapada das Necessidades is located, on the north bank of the River Tagus, it occupies the entire western part of the current parish of Estrela.

Find out more: the Bairro dos Prazeres

Santos-o-Velho

As for Santos-o-Velho, where the museums are located Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga and the Marionette Museum, also on the north bank of the River Tagus, this former parish occupies the southeastern part of the current parish of Estrela.

Find out more: the Santos-o-Velho District

What to see in the Parish of Estrela

Highlights of the main attractions in the parish of Estrela include the São Bento Palace, the headquarters of the parliament of Portugal and the Basilica da Estrela.

In addition to these highlights, of its rich and varied heritage, note "the quality green spaces, such as Jardim da Estrela and Tapada das Necessidades; the typical restaurants, the taverns and simultaneously a fusion gastronomic offer; and cultural references such as the National Museum of Ancient Art, the Museum of the Orient, the Convent of Bernardas, with the Puppet Museum, the Convent of S. Francisco de Paula, the Basílica da Estrela, the Chafariz da Esperança and the Historic District of Madragoa, one of the most emblematic neighborhoods of the City of Lisbon" [JF de Estrela].

See Attractions of Estrela

Location

Historical Center of Lisbon
With the River Tagus to the south and southeast, the parish of Estrela borders, to the north, with the parish of Arroios, to the northeast, with the parish of São Vicente, to the west with the parish of Misericórdia and the northwest, with the parish of Santo Antônio.

What to do in Parish of Estrela

Walking tours and visits to the main attractions of the parish of Estrela.
Other recommended activities include: the Puppet Museum, the National Museum of Ancient Art, the Orient Museum, the caravel Vera Cruz, among other activities.

See Attractions of Estrela

About the Parish of Estrela

The parish of Estrela was once a stronghold of Lisbon's upper-middle and upper classes. Neighborhood with buildings signed by well-known Portuguese architects.

Good place to live
Estrela, a safe and quiet neighborhood, well served by public transport and other services, is considers one of the good parishes to live in the Portuguese capital. The proximity of the Historic Center it also adds a lot to the potential of the neighborhoods and the parish.

Green spaces
The parish of Estrela, with many green spaces, is a place that offers good quality of life for its inhabitants.

Restaurants and nightlife
The wide range of restaurants, bars and cafes also contributes to nights lively in the parish, without the inconvenience of the large flow of tourists as in Cais do Sodré or in Bairro Alto.

A bit of history

Place of greatest importance for the history of Lisbon and Portugal. More recently, the Parish of Santo Antônio was created in 2012, with the merger of the parishes of S. Joseph, Heart of Jesus and Saint Mamede.

São Bento Palace
Seat of the Portuguese Parliament since 1834, the Palace of São Bento has been part of the landscape of Estrela since the 16th century: "In the 16th century the black Benedictine monks, who had this designation due to the color of their habits, they decided to approach the court and the capital and headed for the outskirts of Lisbon.
Outskirts of Lisbon, because formerly the entire area of Estrela and São Bento was not yet a city, but field.

The Monastery of São Bento had several uses in its past: it was a prison, an inn, the burial of strangers, refuge, depot for the wreckage of military regiments, military academy, and even patriarchal. As a consequence after the 1755 earthquake, the National Archive of Torre do Tombo was temporarily installed here. In 1798, the Monastery received, as a prisoner of the Holy Office, the poet Barbosa du Bocage" [São Bento Palace].

The building still underwent several modifications to be adapted for the function of housing the Parliament English: "The rooms were inaugurated with the opening of the Cortes in August 1834" [Idem].

Attractions in the Parish of Estrela

Among the attractions of the parish of Estrela are its rich historical and religious heritage. the highlights they are:

• the Star Garden

• the Basilica da Estrela

• the gardens of Tapada das Necessidades

• the São Bento Palace

• the Museum of the Orient


See Attractions of Estrela

What to do in Parish of Estrela

As a traditional historic district, the main options for activities are bars and restaurants, walks in the squares, shopping and visiting the museums and main tourist attractions in the Historical Center of Lisbon

See Attractions of Estrela

Where to eat in Estrela

The offer of restaurants in the parish of Estrela is an asset of its neighborhoods: traditional Portuguese cuisine or international, there is no shortage of options for restaurants, bars and cafes.

Learn more: Where to eat in Estrela

Star Sports

Several equipment and rooms are found in the parish where inhabitants and visitors can practice their favorite (d) sport modality.

Learn more: Where to practice sports in Estrela

Important urban roads

In addition to three railway stations (Railway Station of Alcântara-Mar, Alcântara-Terra and Santos) and trams (electric) and buses (buses) from Carris, large avenues and streets pass through Star, such as Avenida Brasília, Avenida de Ceuta, Estrada dos Prazeres, Avenida 24 de Julho, Rua de São Bento, among others.

+ Information

• Address/Address: Calçada Moinho de Vento 3
• Telephone: 218 855 230, 213 929 100
• Official Link: JF de Estrela
• Social networks: www.facebook.com/freguesiadeestrela/ , Instagram: @freguesiadeestrela
• Contact by email: geral@jf-estrela.pt
• Opening hours:
  From 9am to 6pm, Monday to Friday

Lisbon Region

For those who stay a little longer, discovering the surroundings and the Greater Lisbon is also a unmissable program.