Church of St. Ildefonso

The church of St. Ildefonso (Praça da Batalha) was rebuilt between 1730 and 1731. It stands out for its baroque façade, whose dynamic form is typical of the style, though that is not to say that its architectural design is overly decorative. The tile panels lining the outer walls date from 1932 and were made by Jorge Colaço (1868-1942). They form a complex iconographic scheme that includes, among other things, scenes from the life of the patron saint. In the same spirit of renewal, the sober architectural lines of the commercial buildings were modernized by vibrant frontages in a Beaux Art style, mixed with touches of Art Nouveau and animated by various anthropomorphic elements.