The Sant’Ana Medical School building, dating from 1906, stands on the summit of Sant’Ana Hill, offering a privileged view of downtown Lisbon and São Jorge Castle. It is currently the headquarters of the NOVA Medical School.
The building was projected according to the values of Eclectic Architecture. While evoking the values of Renaissance and classical architecture, it reflects the attention of architects in the second half of the 19th century to the need to reinterpret the neoclassical style in light of new materials and construction techniques. As a result, it sometimes results in a contradictory stylistic mix.
The building’s plan itself, with its trapezoidal shape—an impure geometric form, symmetrical from the bottom longitudinally and defined by two lateral bodies converging toward the facade—contrasts with the grandeur and symmetry of the facade, demonstrating this stylistic contradiction.
In the center of the building stands the irregular octagonal cloister. The building consists of three floors and is covered by gabled roofs. The materials used are marble and stonework.
On the exterior of the building, the imposing portico (or narthex, or galilee) stands out on the main façade. Accessed via a central staircase and two curved passageways with a symmetrical ramp, these passages emphasize the symmetry of the building’s facade.
Inside, in addition to the cloister, there is a large quadrangular atrium with beautiful coffered ceilings, a marble staircase leading to the upper floor where the noble spaces are located at the front of the building. At the rear, there is an imposing wooden staircase and three amphitheaters. On the ground floor is the famous anatomical theater of the Sant’Ana Medical School.
The initial design was by José Maria Nepomuceno and Paiva Couceiro. Leonel Gaya was responsible for its completion.
Visits
NOVA Medical School is pleased to welcome groups of visitors and open its doors to all who wish to explore this heritage.
To do so, simply send an email to eventos@nms.unl.pt and we will attempt to schedule a guided tour, subject to availability and the participation of former and current students who will take this journey through the history of medicine and our country.
This page presents a guided tour of the NMS’s most prestigious spaces.
