Jeronimos Monastery

Located in the parish of Belém, in Lisbon, it was built in 1502 by King Manuel I. It was considered a national monument in 1907 and 1983 it was classified as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The works of one of the most visited monuments in Portugal, lasted about a century and are the ex-libris of Manueline architecture in Portugal.

The monument was built with the riches obtained during the period of the Discoveries, having been an important place for sailors, who received spiritual advice from the monks.

The monastery was occupied by the Order of Saint Jerome, it currently does not have this function, however, it continues to receive Eucharists in important celebrations. In 2016 it received the status of National Pantheon, where the famous poet Luís de Camões is buried.



Monastery of Batalha

Also known as the Monastery of Santa Maria da Vitória, it was built by King João I of Portugal, in honour of the Virgin Mary, after the victory against the Spaniards, in the battle of Aljubarrota. 200 years was the construction time of the monastery with Gothic architecture, which spanned seven reigns. It is one of the Seven Wonders of Portugal and has been a National Monument since 1910.

The space formerly occupied by the Order of Saint Dominic, receives more than 400,000 visitors per year, functioning only as a Museum and National Pantheon, since 2016. Several figures of the second dynasty of the Portuguese monarchy are buried here, including Infante Dom Henrique and Filipa Lencastre, wife of D. João I of Portugal.



Monastery of Alcobaça

This is the first Gothic architecture building in Portugal, with works beginning in 1178, by the hand of the Order of Cistercians. It was inaugurated in 1252 and was built while D. Afonso Henriques tried to reconquer the territory, which is now Portuguese, from the Moors.

The monastery was built in honour of the conquest of Santarém and is the largest built in Portugal. With a long facade, it is almost impossible to photograph it completely.

It was in this place that, according to reports, Pedro and Inês met and fell in love, having started the most dramatic love story that Portugal has ever known.


Credits: Unsplash; Author: antony_sex;

Serra do Pilar Monastery

Located in Vila Nova de Gaia, in the Porto district, the building is located in a privileged location overlooking the Luís I Bridge and the Historic Center of Porto.

It was built during the Renaissance, with work beginning in 1538 and completed in 1672. It belonged to the Order of Canons Regular of Saint Augustine and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996.

Since 2012, it has been possible to visit the space, although now it also has military functions, in a certain part of the building.



Author

Deeply in love with music and with a guilty pleasure in criminal cases, Bruno G. Santos decided to study Journalism and Communication, hoping to combine both passions into writing. The journalist is also a passionate traveller who likes to write about other cultures and discover the various hidden gems from Portugal and the world. Press card: 8463. 

Bruno G. Santos