Madre de Deus Convent - main entrance

The main, south-facing façade corresponds mostly to the church nave and it is quite prominent. The door into the church, which is not the original one, is off-centre and reached by two flights of steps. It has a tri-lobed arch topped by bunches of acanthus leaves and artichokes, at the centre a Portuguese shield flanked by two emblems, the pelican feeding its young and a caravel wrapped in ropes. This portal is still presently the main entrance for religious ceremonies. The Madre de Deus church remained sacralized to this day.