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Afonso Álvares

1501 – 1580

Portuguese architect and engineer

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About Afonso Álvares

Lived 1501 – 1580 (aged 78–79). Afonso Álvares was an architect and engineer.

Afonso Álvares (also spelled Affonso Álvares) was the Master of Works for the Portuguese king, Sebastian of Portugal, and he designed, amongst other structures, the Monastery of São Bento in Lisbon in 1571, which was lost in the 1755 Lisbon earthquake, and is now partially the site of the Portuguese Parliament. He also designed the Fort of Santiago do Outão in 1572.

Work He was the author of the design of the Leiria cathedral, built between 1551 and 1574 (this temple follows the typology drawn by Miguel de Arruda, father-in-law of Afonso Álvares, for the new cathedrals built during the reign of King João III ) and possibly the cathedral of Portalegre, begun in 1556.

At the end of the century he made the layout of the Monastery of S. Bento da Saúde.

He was also the author of the project to enlarge the Church of São Roque in Lisbon, which would evolve into the Mannerist style. Afonso Álvares accompanied the work from 1566 until 1575, when he was replaced by his possible nephew, Baltazar Álvares. Under his guidance a single-nave church was conceived, a project favored by Cardinal Dom Henrique.

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Important facts

Birth century
Died
1580, Lisbon
Occupation
Nationality
Kingdom of Portugal
Also known as
Afonso Alvares

People in Afonso Álvares's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Afonso Álvares's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Afonso Álvares?

Portuguese architect and engineer

When was Afonso Álvares born?

Afonso Álvares was born on 8 August 1501 in Lisbon.

When did Afonso Álvares die?

Afonso Álvares died in 1580 in Lisbon.

What was Afonso Álvares's occupation?

Afonso Álvares was an architect and engineer.

What nationality was Afonso Álvares?

Afonso Álvares's recorded nationality: Kingdom of Portugal.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Afonso Álvares

· Wikidata: Q3606213

· DBpedia: Afonso Álvares

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Afonso Álvares. https://biography.guide/afonso-alvares/

MLA: "Afonso Álvares." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/afonso-alvares/.

Chicago: "Afonso Álvares." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/afonso-alvares/.

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