Seminary Of Emptiness / Seminário ST, Portugal

Seminary Of Emptiness, also known as, Seminário ST, has lay abandoned for decades. The building (or parts of it) were once part of a monastery. The original monastery dated back to the 12th Century. Now, this building has fallen into disrepair. Some areas have collapsed, mainly stairways and part of the roof. Other areas remain intact, covered in thick dust and strewn with cobwebs. We visited this location during our Portugal 2017 Road Trip.

This stunning building was once a seminary. This religious college prepared students for the priesthood. The seminary opened in the 1920s. When viewed from above, the building resembles a number 9. There is no consensus on when the seminary was abandoned. Most sources agree the site has been disused since the 1960s or 1980s. Similarly, it is hard to pinpoint the reason this large building was left to decay.

A private investor purchased the Seminary Of Emptiness around a decade ago. Plans have been filed to turn the seminary into a “rural tourism hotel”. The owner is seemingly still battling bureaucracy before the plans can move forward.

Fire at The Seminary Of Emptiness (2020)

My regret, is that I was in a rush the day I visited this location in 2017. I only photographed the chapel area, walking through the rest of the huge building. In the summer of 2020 a huge fire engulfed the seminary. Almost everything was totally destroyed, leaving only the stone facade.

Miraculously, the only part of the site to survive….was the chapel! A little roof collapse on one side, but otherwise it escaped remarkably unscathed. When I re-visited in 2022, it was an impressive site to see the comparison between the rest of the seminary and the church.

The Neo-Manueline Seminary Chapel

The most beautiful part of the Seminário ST, is the chapel. The chapel features Neo-Manueline architecture. This Portuguese style draws from Late Gothic-style influences. This Gothic Revival style originated in the mid-1800s. Many prestigious late 800s buildings in Lisbon are built in this style.

There are beautiful stained glass windows, miraculously all intact. The main altar and the two lateral altars are wooden. The altars have intricate carvings and gold gilding.

The main entrance of the chapel, where we entered, is attached to the seminary via a doorway. There are also two side entrances to the chapel. These doors feature cracked and peeling yellow paint. Vines and other plants cling to the wrought iron window decorations.