— What you actually see in the photo here is two churches. The Carmo Church was built in the 18th century in the rococo and late Baroque styles, and it depicts the Brown Scapular imposition on Mount Carmel in an impressive azulejo (Portuguese tiles) art designed by Silvestro Silvestri on its outside wall. Although the building appears to be one single church, the Carmo Church was built on the side of the Igreja dos Carmelitas Descalços, the Church of the Barefoot Carmelites Friars. That church — the one with the bell tower — is older and was constructed in the mid-17th century. It was part of a convent that no longer exists. In 2013 the Portuguese government turned these churches into a national heritage monument. One particular and interesting feature, and not quite easily seen in the shot, is the very narrow house squeezed in-between both churches. It is believed to be the world’s narrowest house. It is only one meter in width (approximately 3.25 feet). The entrance is that narrow opening you can see to the left of the blue sign (there are two narrow windows above the door). That house was built as a means to keep the nuns of the Carmelite Church and monks of the Carmo Church separated. It was inhabited until the 1980s, and is now open for visitation through some narrow spiral stairs.
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