The Church of Jesus, built in the late 15th century, is one of the most important early Manueline buildings in Portugal. Six twisted columns of grey-pink Arrábida marble hold up the vault of the nave, knotted like sailor's rope — a motif that would soon spread across Portugal as the country grew rich on overseas trade. The exterior is restrained; the interior is where the strangeness lives.
The attached convent now houses the Museum of Setúbal, with archaeology and religious art from the region. The church and museum sit a short walk uphill from the centre and are usually quiet, free of the queues that ring Belém in Lisbon.