Monastery of Silence
Description:
The Monastery of Silence, or Monastery da Santa Maria, towers over the small Portuguese town of Alcobasa, located 100 km north of Lisbon in Portugal. It is one of the few European structures that has managed to preserve the entire group of medieval buildings, including the largest Gothic church in Portugal.
The monastery of Silence was a favorite place of the Portuguese poet King Dinis. He created a literary colony at the monastery, where monks were engaged in the translation of church scriptures.
Today, this monastery, despite its baroque facade, is the embodiment of simplicity and grandeur. Inside it are the Gothic graves of two unfortunate lovers of Portuguese history: Romeo and Juliet. Their sarcophagi are the greatest examples of Portuguese sculpture of the XIV century.
In addition to the tombs and monasteries, the kitchen through which the Alcoa River branch flowed is of interest. As in many monasteries, the waters of the river flow were actively used, for example, monks caught fish in the stream, and then washed dishes in it.