Convent of Santo António da Cidade

Convent of Santo António da Cidade (Convento de Santo António da Cidade)
College (Colégio)
The modern facades of the old Convent of Santo António
Official name: Convento de Santo António da Cidade
Named for: St. Anthony
Country	Portugal
Region	Norte
Subregion	Greater Porto
District	Porto
Municipality	Porto
Location	Bonfim
- coordinates	41°8′45.8″N 8°36′6.3″W / 41.146056°N 8.601750°W / 41.146056; -8.601750Coordinates: 41°8′45.8″N 8°36′6.3″W / 41.146056°N 8.601750°W / 41.146056; -8.601750
Materials	Granite, Azulejo, Wood, Tile, Iron
Origin	1747
Owner	Portuguese Republic
For public	Private
Easiest access	Avenida Rodrigues de Freitas, Rua Dom João IV (along the Garden of São Lázaro) and Rua Morgado de Mateus
Management	Instituto Gestão do Patrimonio Arquitectónico e Arqueológico
Status	Property of Public Interest Imóvel de Interesse Público
Listing	Decree, 735/74, Diário do Governo, Série 1, 279 (21 December 1974)

The Convent of Santo António da Cidade (Portuguese: Convento de Santo António da Cidade) is a former-convent and public library in the civil parish of Bonfim, in the municipality of Porto, in the Portuguese district of the same name.

In 1747, a hospice was founded in the city of Porto to the invocation of Nossa Senhora da Conceição (Our Lady of the Conception), by the Minor Reformed Friars of St. Francis, or Capuchos of the Province of Conceiçaõ.

Two years later, a chapel was constructed by Dionísio Verney in the field of São Lázaro, that was later acquired by the religious friars for the hospice. Between 1779 and 1780, Queen D. Maria I conceded to the Franciscans authorization to found a Regular Hospice in the city of Porto. On 26 November 1780, António José Mendes Guimarães sold the "public chapel with mystical houses with it" and other lands and houses in the field of São Lázaro, to the Franciscans. The community of Franciscans of the Province of Conceição transferred from the houses of Rua de Santa Catarina to the building in São Lázaro on 30 November 1780. On 26 May 1781. there was a petition by the municipal council to occupy the land of São Lázaro to continue the services of a religious hospice.

In 1783, the convent of Santo António was founded in São Lázaro, by the religious minor reformed friars of St. Francis. The convent building was not yet concluded (although the fountain in the cloister dates to this period) when in 1789 Father Agostinho Rebelo da Costa indicated the building was would be the largest convent in the city. In two years time the hospice became a convent and capital house.

In April 1809, the convent began to operate as a hospital for French troops during the Peninsular War and then on 20 May designated for Portuguese troops.

In July 1831, the convent was abandoned by the last religious friar and occupied by English troops supporting the Liberal monarchy.