Monastery of Alcobaça: A medieval Cistercian gothic splendour

Feb 14, 2025

Getting Sidetracked - Agnes Ong
Located just an hour and a half’s drive from Lisbon, Portugal, the Monastery of Alcobaça is one of Europe’s finest examples of the Cistercian style and a pioneer of Gothic design in the Iberian Peninsula.

Built by the first Portuguese king, Afonso Henriques, this monastery is a symbol of faith, resilience, and national identity, and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1989.

The story of Alcobaça begins in 1153, when Afonso Henriques, with a vision to strengthen Portugal’s independence, made a bold move by granting Bernard of Clairvaux — an influential figure in both religious and political circles — a vast 44,000 hectares of land stretching from the Serra dos Candeeiros to the Atlantic coast.

This was not merely a land grant but a calculated gesture to gain Bernard’s influential support in Rome, which was crucial for securing international recognition of Portugal as an independent kingdom.

The monks, drawn to the potential of this abundant land, settled in Alcobaça and began cultivating it, blending their daily routines of hard labour with moments of deep spiritual reflection.

In 1178, construction of the monastery began, guided by Bernard's vision of simplicity fused with grandeur. By 1308, King Dinis commissioned the creation of an exquisite cloister, which remains the largest built during Portugal’s early royal dynasty.

An unmatched example of Cistercian gothic architecture As I wandered through the monastery grounds, I was struck by the austere, unadorned lines that reflect the core values of humility and devotion, characterising the Cistercian order’s architectural style. The monastery’s layout adheres to the traditional Cistercian model, featuring a church, cloister, dormitory, and refectory, with a distinct separation between sacred and secular spaces for monks and visitors.

The church’s vast, long nave and towering vaulted ceilings evoke both simplicity and grandeur. The elevated choir, where monks once sang the liturgies, further enhances the acoustics and strengthens the monks’ connection to prayer. The open-air cloisters, with their graceful walkways, offer a serene, contemplative space, beautifully blending architecture with nature.

For architecture enthusiasts, the design of the church and cloisters is truly remarkable, particularly the large windows that bathe the interiors in soft, ethereal light. This natural illumination elevates the spiritual atmosphere, enhancing the sense of peace and reverence within. The design’s expansive, vertical elements create a sense of unity and contemplation, making the monastery a perfect setting for reflection.

Alcobaça’s star-crossed lovers
Amidst the tranquillity of the monastery, a poignant and tragic story of love, fidelity, passion, and betrayal unfolds, now immortalised in two remarkable tombs facing each other in the church’s nave.

The story begins in the 14th century when a young Pedro, only 20 years old, met Inês, a 14-year-old lady-in-waiting and relative of his betrothed, Constanza of Castille. Their connection was instant and undeniable, but their love was forbidden. Pedro’s father, King Alfonso IV, had arranged for Pedro’s marriage to Constanza for political reasons, and the court deemed the relationship between Pedro and Inês unacceptable.

As their secret love affair grew, Constanza, painfully aware of the romance, decided to act. She bore Pedro a son, Infante Luiz, and invited Inês to be the godmother. The irony was profound—by Church law, the act would make their relationship incestuous. Tragically, infant Luiz died just a week after birth, deepening suspicions against Inês.

Desperate to end the romance, Alfonso exiled Inês. A year later, Constanza died in childbirth, and Pedro, free from his political obligations, brought Inês back to court. Together, they had four children and began to live openly as a family. However, the court’s increasing unrest over Pedro’s favouritism toward Inês’s family eventually led to a horrifying tragedy.

In a cruel twist of fate, Alfonso orchestrated Inês’s assassination. Inês was dragged from her home and murdered before her young child’s eyes. She was just 29 years old.

When Pedro discovered the horror, he was consumed by grief and rage. He declared war against his father, though ultimately unsuccessful. However, with Alfonso’s death, Pedro became king. His first act as monarch was retribution — he hunted down Inês’s assassins and had them executed brutally.

But Pedro’s love for Inês did not end in vengeance. In a stunning act of devotion, he proclaimed that they had secretly married. Inés’s body was exhumed and paraded from Coimbra to Alcobaça in a magnificent funeral procession. There, Pedro crowned her queen, dressing her in royal finery.

In a profoundly moving act, Pedro commanded the nobility to kiss her hem—an extraordinary gesture, making Inês the only queen in history to receive such honour despite never having been crowned in life.

The tombs of Pedro and Inês The tombs of Pedro and Inês are celebrated for their intricate design and symbolic significance.

Pedro’s tomb, a masterpiece of 14thcentury Gothic art, is a grand marble structure with a recumbent effigy of the king in regal attire. Positioned in front of the high altar, it reflects his royal authority. The tomb’s detailed carvings, including biblical scenes, reflect the religious devotion of the time.

In contrast, Inês’s tomb, placed beside Pedro’s, exudes a serene grace. Her effigy is more peaceful, and her tomb features symbolic elements such as lions at her feet, representing royalty and strength.

The placement of the tombs is deeply meaningful. Tradition holds that when Pedro’s tomb is opened at the Resurrection, he will rise to see Inês, his beloved, first. This powerful symbol reflects the enduring love between the two, transcending even death.

To know more about the Monastery of Alcobaça, scan the QR Code or go to Google Arts & Culture at https://g.co/arts/ qF7s7RLY2hsW7Qdc6.

Agnes Ong is a self-professed curious traveller and lifelong learner with a lamentable tendency to get into sidetracked experiences. She aspires to explore as many historical UNESCO sites as possible, funds permitting. Agnes has a travel-slash-workslash- dump everything IG at @agnes_gets_ sidetracked