The chancel was completely rebuilt between 1718 and 1746, a work sponsored by King D. João V. The architect responsible was João Frederico Ludovice, a German who was a real architect and who had already designed the Monastery of Mafra. The style favored by the king and his architect was Roman Baroque, with polychrome marble decoration (green marble from Italy, white marble from Montes Claros, red and black marble from Sintra) and painted altars. Although its style does not fit into the medieval interior of the cathedral, the chancel is nevertheless an elegant Baroque masterpiece. The main altar has sculptural decoration by Italian Antonio Bellini. Portuguese sculptor Manuel Dias is the author of Jesus crucified on the altar, based on a drawing by the Portuguese painter Vieira Lusitano. The painting of the main altar was executed by the Italian Agostino Masucci .The 13 panels of the original painted Flamengo altarpiece of the main chapel can be seen in the Évora Museum. The altarpiece was commissioned around 1500 for a workshop in Bruges by Bishop Afonso de Portugal.