The Sé, the Cathedral of Lisbon, is one of the oldest buildings in the city, originally constructed in the twelfth century shortly after the reconquest of the city. The cathedral, with its sturdy Romanesque towers, is one of the Lisbon's most iconic landmarks.Construction of the Sé started around 1150, only three years after the city was reconquered from the Moors during the Second Crusade. Shortly after the victory the Englishman Gilbert of Hastings was named bishop of the city of Lisbon. With the support of king Afonso Henriques he set out to purify the city and build a Catholic church at the site of a mosque.Despite many alterations over the centuries, the church has retained its original Romanesque character. Its current appearance stems mostly from the restoration work completed in the early twentieth century, when Baroque decorations from the eighteenth century were removed and the rose window was reconstructed. Like most churches in Lisbon, the Sé suffered significant damage during the disastrous earthquake of 1755, when the south tower collapsed and much of the interior was destroyed.