Monastery of Santa Maria de Alcobasa

The monastery of Santa Maria de Alcobaza is one of the oldest in Portugal. The date of its foundation refers to 1153, when King Afonso Henriques in honor of one of the victories wished to make a gift to the outstanding figure of the Cistercian Order Bernard of Clairvaux.

The construction of the monastery was extremely complicated by the lack of necessary technologies and lasted for 99 years. The works of the builders were justified - the Gothic building for centuries retained its grandiose appearance and today is a protected UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Unfortunately, during the Napoleonic Wars, the monastery was looted by the French, and all its relics were lost.