(Where Gumbo was #529)
Gumbo was visiting one of the most interesting and beautiful churches in Portugal, located in the historic center of Coimbra. Congratulations to George G who was the only one to recognize where Gumbo was!
(Entry to the Church of Santa Cruz)
This Augustine monastery and its church are almost 900 years old. The cornerstone to the church was placed in 1131 A.D. under the patronage of Afonso Henriques (Portugal’s first king). The structure was completed in 1223. Because of the existence of this monastery Coimbra became the site of the country’s oldest and most famous University.
(The altar)
King Afonso Henriques and his son Sancho I — the first two monarchs of the country — are entombed within the church, that alone making it a nationally important site.
The church and monastery underwent a major (almost complete) renovation in the 1500s because the king at the time thought a more elaborate facility was required to house the two royal tombs. The tombs were relocated to the chancel (close to the altar) in 1530. The style of the renovation is classic Manueline (Portuguese Gothic) architecture, manifest in the building and in these royal tombs.
(Tomb of Afonso Henriques, Portugal’s first king)
(elaborately decorated tomb of Portugal’s second king, Sancho I,
in Manueline style)
Much of the interior of the church is covered with tile panels illustrating periods of Portuguese history, as you can see in the photos below:
A few additional features of the church’s decor is shown in the photos below:
The choir is located at the far end of the church, removed from the altar, and is elevated. Its stalls were carved around 1520 and are among the oldest and most elaborately crafted in Portugal.
(The choir)
The church has a magnificent organ that dates to 1724. It has 4000 pipes and is so complex that only a few players have mastered it.
Admission to the church is free, and for a few Euros, you can tour additional areas of the Monastery which we thought were well worth seeing. These include the lavish Sacristy….
(Priest reading some notes in the sacristy)
You’ll enter the Monastery through the Chapter Room, another nicely decorated room.
The monastic cloister is considered one of the finest examples of Manueline architecture in Portugal. The two-tiered cloister features arches with columns twisted like ropes., as well as several fountains.
Below is a representative of the gargoyles which ring the cloister.
Our last stop in the Monastery is known as The Sanctuary, an oval shaped room at the top of the building where sacred relics were kept. A place for collectibles, so to speak, quite interesting.
My wife and I visited a lot of churches while in Portugal, and this was the most unusual and interesting. Very recommended.
