National Pantheon

The great white dome rising over the eastern edge of Alfama belongs to the Church of Santa Engrácia, and its story has given Portuguese a proverb. Work on the church began in the late seventeenth century, after the previous church on the site was destroyed, but money, politics and ambition kept getting in the way, and the dome was not completed until the 1960s. An obras de Santa Engrácia, a Santa Engrácia job, is still what Portuguese call a project that never ends. In the twentieth century the building was designated the National Pantheon, the resting place for the country's most honoured figures. The interior is a vast Greek-cross space of polished coloured marble under the dome, cool, bright and almost empty, and around it are the tombs of presidents of the Republic, writers and poets, and some of the best-loved figures of Portuguese culture, among them the fado singer Amália Rodrigues and the footballer Eusébio. There are also cenotaphs, memorials without remains, to heroes of the past such as Vasco da Gama, Pedro Álvares Cabral, Afonso de Albuquerque, Henry the Navigator, Nuno Álvares Pereira and the poet Camões. The real thrill, though, is the climb. Stairs lead up through the building to an interior gallery under the dome and then out onto the roof terrace, which circles the dome and looks over Alfama's rooftops, the Tagus, the port and the ships, with views that rival any miradouro and far fewer people. Entry is low-cost, and the Pantheon is closed on Mondays.

Why go: the Pantheon gives you three things at once. It is a striking Baroque building finally completed in the twentieth century; it is a who's who of modern Portugal, a quiet place to learn about the poets, singers and politicians whose names appear on street signs; and it is one of the great viewpoints of Lisbon, all for a modest fee. Fado fans in particular come to pay respects at Amália's tomb, which is often decorated with flowers.

Working the visit: allow about an hour. See the main floor and the tombs first, then take the stairs up; there are a lot of steps, so it is not for anyone with mobility problems, but there is no technical climbing. From the terrace, look for the São Vicente de Fora monastery next door, the castle on its hill to the west and the river widening towards the sea. Come on a clear day, ideally in the morning or late afternoon. The Pantheon is near the Campo de Santa Clara, where the Feira da Ladra flea market runs on Tuesdays and Saturdays, so time your visit to combine the two.

Getting there: the Pantheon is on the eastern edge of Alfama, a walk downhill from Graça or uphill from Santa Apolónia station. Tram 28 stops nearby at Graça and São Vicente. Combine it with the monastery of São Vicente de Fora, the Alfama lanes and the Senhora do Monte and Graça viewpoints for a full day on the eastern hills.