The Colégio dos Jesuitas (Jesuit College) is an imposing 17th century building in the center of Portimão.
It was built by command of a Portimão nobleman, Diogo Gonçalves. The blessing of the 1st stone took place on 1st October 1660 and it was opened on 3rd March 1707.
Although it didn´t had much students, the College began its activities with the courses of Latin, Theology, Moral and First Letters. With the subsequent installation of the Order of S. Camilo de Lelis (St. Camillus de Lellis) in the convent the college started to offer of grammar, Latin, Rhetoric and Philosophy.
In 1757, with the expulsion of the Religious Orders (wich included the Jesuits) by decree of the Marquis of Pombal, its assets moved to the royal treasury. Later, in 1774, the Company's assets in Lagos, were donated by D. Jose I to the University of Coimbra. After the death of his father, Queen Maria made a perpetual donation of the assets to the Order of St. Camilo in Portimão. However, when taking possession of these assets in 1780, the Order was confronted with the fact that the College have been donated to the University of Coimbra. They came into an arranjement and the University makes them a perpetual contract that transfers the possession for the amount of 800 Reais per years.
With the suppression of religious orders by decree of May 28, 1834, the assets were nationalized. The deputy to the Cortes, Francisco d'Almeida, according to the Letter of Law dated January 11, 1854, gives the City Council of Vila Nova de Portimão the use of the building the former College..
Today it bellongs to the Santa Casa da Misericordia de Portimão (A charity organization of the Catholic Church )and the Third Order of St. Francisco.
It is located on the corner of Main Street and now is a building whose facade of rigid lines is decorated by three bodies, representing the highest and central to the church, a church nave, the widest of Portimão and the largest in its kind built in the Algarve.
All altars are of the sixteenth century, gilded and richly decorated. Other attractions are the images of the Virgin and Child (sixteenth century), Our Lady of Mercy and the Lord of the Afflicted and the crucifix of Jesus of Miracles from the XVII century.
The building has benefited from several restoration works both indoors or outdoors and currently hosts several cultural activities.
Lateral bodies in the building today houses the Parish Council, the Diogo Gonçalves Painting Museum, the Elderly day Centre and the local Scouts Corp.
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