Alcobaça Monastery
Mosteiro de Alcobaça
A UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to Portugal's largest Gothic church, where the tombs of King Pedro I and Inês de Castro rest.
Alcobaça Monastery was founded in 1153 by Afonso I, Portugal's first king, and was the first Cistercian monastery in Portugal. It was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1989. The nave of the church is tall and austere, with the ornate stone tombs of King Pedro I and his lover Inês de Castro on either side. The two lie facing each other, symbolizing that on Judgment Day, they will be the first thing each sees upon resurrection. The complex also includes the King's Cloister, a kitchen with a huge chimney, and the dormitories. Admission is about €10, and it's open roughly 9:00–18:00. It is about 12 km from Nazaré, a 20-minute drive, and the monastery's sweets are famous in town.
Opening hours
Roughly 09:00–18:00 (until 17:00 in winter)
Nearby sights
- Praia da Nazaré
- Nazaré Funicular
- Miradouro do Sítio (Suberco)
- Sanctuary of Our Lady of Nazaré
- Nazaré Lighthouse (Forte de São Miguel Arcanjo)
- Praia do Norte
- São Martinho do Porto Bay
- Batalha Monastery