Instagram

Traveler Tina

  • Home
  • Blog

Portugal’s Best Monastery Trio: Alcobaça, Batalha, and Tomar

travelertina

09:02:36 February 17, 2024

in
Europe,Portugal

Portugal once had over 500 monasteries, and you can still visit three of the most spectacular — the ABT trio, or Alcobaça Batalha Tomar monasteries — in just a day or two. Whether you visit all three of the ABT monasteries or just one or two, here are the highlights of Alcobaça, Batalha, and Tomar.

Alcobaça

The Oldest Monastery and Largest Church in Portugal

Founded in 1153, Alcobaça is Portugal’s oldest monastery.

Exterior view of the historic UNESCO World Heritage Site, Alcobaça Monastery in Portugal, showcasing Gothic architecture and long white walls with small turrets on top

In addition to being the oldest, Alcobaça lays claim to having the largest church. Historians’ best guess is that the architects were French, which would explain the early Gothic styling.

Interior nave of Alcobaça Monastery in Portugal, featuring soaring Gothic arches and Cistercian architectural design

The Royal Tombs of Alcobaça

The monastery at Alcobaça is also famous for housing the tombs of King Pedro I and his mistress, Inês de Castro. There’s a sad story here: Pedro’s father, King Alfonso IV, was not an Inês fan. When Pedro was still just a prince, King Alfonso arranged to have six men assassinate Inês. The story goes that when Pedro took the throne six years later, he had her body exhumed and — on the theory that she was his rightful queen — forced everyone at court to kiss her decomposing hand. Whether that’s true or not, King Pedro is buried on one side of the church, resting upon lions …

Stone tomb of King Pedro I in the Alcobaça Monastery, Portugal, adorned with angelic figures and royal effigy, resting on carved stone lions

… and Inês is buried in a tomb across the way, which sits upon six gremlin figures that represent her assassins.

Carved stone figure of one of Inês de Castro’s assassins at the base of her tomb in Alcobaça Monastery, Portugal, his hands folded beneath his head
Carved stone figure of one of Inês de Castro’s assassins at the base of her tomb in Alcobaça Monastery, Portugal
Carved stone figure of one of Inês de Castro’s assassins, holding a figure of what looks to be a small child, at the base of her tomb in Alcobaça Monastery, Portugal

These tombs are purported to be among the best examples of Gothic sculpture in Portugal. Especially famous is this set of rings at the end of King Pedro’s tomb, representing the Wheel of Life (the outer circle) and the Wheel of Fortune (inner circle).

Gothic stone carving of the Wheel of Life and Wheel of Fortune at the end of King Pedro I’s tomb in Alcobaça Monastery, Portugal

Alcobaça’s Cloister

Another highlight of Alcobaça is the cloister, which was one of the largest Cistercian cloisters in Medieval Europe. To confuse matters, the second story was constructed in the early 1500s, so the two levels have two entirely different architectural styles.

Two-storied cloister with rounded archways and a lawn with neatly trimmed hedges at Alcobaça Monastery, Portugal, with the church visible in the background under a cloudy sky

Make sure to look for the signs up to the second story, which are a bit hidden. It’s great to go up to see the many different views …

View of a cloister at Alcobaça Monastery, Portugal, with a view through rounded, arched stone tracery onto a courtyard with multiple levels of arched windows and the cloudy sky
View of Alcobaça Monastery church and cloister on a cloudy day, seen through a rounded archway window in the cloister hallway, Portugal

… and the animal-shaped gargoyles.

Carved stone pig gargoyle and rain spout in the cloister of Alcobaça Monastery, Portugal
Stone gargoyle sculpture and rain spout resembling a demon in the historic cloister of Alcobaça Monastery, Portugal
Detailed carved stone rhinoceros gargoyle and rain spout in the cloister of Alcobaça Monastery, Portugal

From Kitchens to Kings

I was a fan of the monastery’s enormous tiled kitchen, which was built much later (it’s an 18th-century creation).

Tiled kitchen room with traditional ceramic tiles, soaring ceilings, giant central chimney, and rounded archways in Alcobaça Monastery, Portugal

Other sights not to miss include the Gothic refectory …

Gothic refectory with vaulted ceiling, stone columns, red brick floor, and windows letting in natural light in Alcobaça Monastery, Portugal

… with its spectacular pulpit …

Pulpit with four rounded archways supported by slim columns and a small staircase cut into the wall leading to a platform at Alcobaça Monastery, Portugal

… and the much later Hall of Kings, where you can see the story of the monastery’s founding in blue tiles:

Blue and white azulejo tile panel depicting the founding story of Alcobaça Monastery, Portugal

The Artistry of Alcobaça

Some of my favorite elements of Portuguese churches include tiles, painted ceilings, and interesting creatures — I’m always on the lookout for all three, and Alcobaça has its fair share.

Stone relief carving of a man with arms and legs held by two serpentine figures on the capital of a stone column at Alcobaça Monastery, Portugal
Yellow and white wall painting with geometric shapes, cherubs, and a Latin inscription in black at the center at Alcobaça Monastery, Portugal
Stone relief carving of a mythical creature, possibly a griffin, surrounded by floral motifs at Alcobaça Monastery, Portugal
Blue, white, and yellow azulejo tile panel featuring a repeating geometric pattern on the wall at Alcobaça Monastery, Portugal
Whimsical stylized relief carving of a face on the capital of a stone column at Alcobaça Monastery, Portugal
Ornate stone bas-relief carving of a mythical lion-like creature surrounded by floral motifs at Alcobaça Monastery, Portugal

Alcobaça is probably the least famous of the three monasteries, but in many ways, I liked it the most. While the church is huge and austere, the visit is manageable, and the giant cloister makes everything feel light.

Batalha

Gothic Grandeur

Exterior view of Batalha Monastery in Portugal on a cloudy day, showcasing its intricate Gothic and Manueline architectural details and towering spires

And now for something completely different! Two hundred years made all the difference in Medieval architecture, and we’ve moved from the more austere world of Alcobaça‘s early Gothic style to Late Flamboyant Gothic architecture. Batalha Monastery was started in 1386 and was finally completed in the early 1500s, which means it’s far more ornate than its cousin to the southwest.

Close-up of a highly ornate stone architectural structure, likely a pulpit or decorative alcove, in Gothic-Manueline style, surrounded by columns with geometric designs at Batalha Monastery, Portugal

The nave of the church is still tall and severe — if you blinked and looked away, you would think you were still at Alcobaça.

Interior view of the main nave at Batalha Monastery, Portugal, featuring soaring vaulted ceilings, wooden pews, standing lamps, and stained glass windows

The big difference here is that Batalha has stained glass windows (in fact, the town of Batalha probably had the very first stained glass window factory in all of Portugal).

Interior view of soaring ribbed vaults, tall stone columns, and stained glass windows illuminating the Gothic architecture of Batalha Monastery, Portugal

Prince Henry the Navigator & His Royal Family

One of the most important places here is the Founder’s Chapel, which includes the tombs of King John I, his wife Philippa of Lancaster, and all of their sons. The best known of these — at least to Americans — has to be Prince Henry the Navigator.

Elaborately carved stone tomb of Prince Henry the Navigator, featuring a recumbent effigy beneath a Gothic arch, with coats of arms and intricate tracery at Batalha Monastery, Portugal
Tomb of Prince Henry the Navigator

This room is a good one for seeing the monastery’s decorative details.

Stained glass window with vibrant heraldic designs set in a Gothic arch and vaulted ceiling at Batalha Monastery, Portugal, showcasing intricate tracery and medieval stonework

Another significant room at Batalha is the chapterhouse, where the tomb of the unknown soldier from WWI lies.

Interior view of the Chapterhouse at Batalha Monastery, Portugal, featuring a vaulted star-patterned ceiling, Gothic arches, a stained glass window, and a solemn crucifix against the stone walls

The Cloisters of Batalha

The Royal Cloister at Batalha is particularly beautiful — though it was not part of the original building, so it strays away from the Flamboyant …

Exterior view of the Royal Cloister at Batalha Monastery, Portugal, showcasing ornate Gothic arches, intricate Manueline stone tracery, and a tall central spire under a dramatic cloudy sky

… and is a blend of the more traditionally Gothic and the Manueline (also known as Portuguese Late Gothic, the Manueline style is known for being highly decorative and for drawing on natural and nautical themes).

View from inside the Royal Cloister at Batalha Monastery, Portugal, looking through intricately carved Manueline stone tracery and twisted columns onto the lush green courtyard and surrounding Gothic arches

A second cloister, built even later in the 1400s, harkens back even more to the days of the conventional Gothic.

Stone corridor of a cloister at Batalha Monastery, Portugal, featuring a vaulted ceiling with pointed arches and nd warm-toned stone walls illuminated by natural light from arched windows

Batalha’s Unfinished Chapel

Much is made of the Unfinished Chapel, a Manueline wonder that was abandoned in the mid-1500s when the king died and funding dried up.

View of the Unfinished Chapel at Batalha Monastery, Portugal, featuring towering open-air Gothic arches, intricate stone carvings, stained glass windows, and an ornate tomb beneath a dramatic sky

The Beasts of Batalha

Batalha does not have much in the way of tiles or painted ceilings, but it won my award for best fountain faces, gargoyles, and other critters.

Close-up of a stone fountain spout carved as a wide-eyed face of what looks like a water creature, with water flowing from the mouth at Batalha Monastery, Portugal
stone gargoyle carved as a crouching human-like figure with its hand in its mouth, jutting from the façade of Batalha Monastery, Portugal, with a Gothic spire and detailed stonework in the background
Close-up of a whimsical stone fountain spout carved in the shape of a human face with rounded cheeks, wide eyes, and a hat, with water emerging from the mouth at Batalha Monastery, Portugal
stone carving of a lion-like creature with wide eyes and a curly mane, serving as a decorative support at Batalha Monastery, Portugal
Close-up view of a carved stone fountain spout in the shape of a fantastical face with pointed ears, furrowed brow, and stylized mane, with water flowing from its mouth at Batalha Monastery, Portugal
Stone sculpture of a crowned figure with flowing robes and a scroll, set within an ornate architectural niche at Batalha Monastery, Portugal
Close-up of a stone fountain spout carved as a grimacing face surrounded by a sunburst-like frame, with water trickling from the mouth at Batalha Monastery, Portugal
Stone gargoyle in the shape of a winged beast with an open mouth, folded wings, and expressive features, projecting from the exterior wall of Batalha Monastery, Portugal, against a backdrop of Gothic architectural detailing
Ornately carved stone gargoyle shaped like a stylized fish or dragon, jutting from the roofline of Batalha Monastery, Portugal, with scalloped scales and circular eyes, against a cloudy sky backdrop

Tomar

Castle, Convent, and Church

The castle and Convent of Christ at Tomar combine to make a huge, sprawling complex.

View of the exterior of the round Templar church and bell tower at Tomar Monastery, Portugal, seen from a garden path lined with greenery and decorative azulejo tile planters under a cloudy sky

There’s a lot going on here, mostly because Tomar has multiple buildings rolled into one. It started out as a 12th-century castle built by the Knights Templar — and it truly looked very castle-like.

Stone walls and watchtower of the medieval fortress surrounding Tomar Monastery, Portugal, viewed from a cobbled path curving beneath the hillside on a cloudy day

At the same time, folks were building a convent inside the castle walls. Then a lot of things happened in rapid succession: the Knights Templar group successfully fought off the Moors, then the Knights Templar dissolved, and then the pope instituted the Order of Christ. Tomar became the seat of that order, which meant that more building took place in the early 1400s. So the castle and convent end up being a mash-up of Romanesque, Gothic, Manueline, and Renaissance styles.

The Round Church of the Knights Templar

The unrivaled highlight of Tomar is its many-sided Romanesque church.

Wide view of the richly decorated Charola at Tomar Monastery, Portugal, the circular Templar church featuring gilded arches, painted saints, vaulted ceilings with detailed frescoes, and a central crucifix framed by ornate stone columns.

The church was renovated in the early 1500s, so the decorative style and the architecture are not of the same period. But they all seem to fit together beautifully. The octagonal structure of columns in the center …

Close-up view of the elaborately carved columns in the Charola at Tomar Monastery, Portugal, featuring intricate geometric and vegetal motifs in gilded relief, beneath a vaulted ceiling of colorful frescoes

… is surrounded by all sorts of wonderful paintings.

Detail of a richly colored fresco inside the Charola at Tomar Monastery, Portugal, depicting two angels holding staffs, framed by gilded architectural elements and set beneath a vaulted ceiling adorned with intricate Gothic patterns
Painting of St. Anthony Preaching to the Fish at Tomar Monastery, Portugal, showing the saint with a halo addressing fish in the sea, while animals and villagers observe from the shore, with a medieval town and sailing ships in the background
St Anthony Preaching to the Fish by Gregorio Lopes, early 1500s

A Manueline nave was added during the rule of Prince Henry the Navigator, which turned the original Romanesque arch into a pointy one.

View of a richly painted pointed arch framing the ornate Charola at Tomar Monastery, Portugal, with detailed frescoes, gilded architectural elements, and religious figures beneath a vibrant vaulted ceiling

One Convent, Many Cloisters

Beyond the church, there are two other major things of note here. One is the vast network of cloisters, which stretch out one …

View of the Renaissance-style Claustro de D. João III (cloister) at Tomar Monastery, Portugal, featuring a central stone fountain, arched walkways, classical columns, and two tiers of arcaded galleries surrounding the courtyard

… after another …

View of a cloister at Tomar Monastery, Portugal, featuring elegant Gothic arches, intricately carved capitals, blue and white azulejo tilework, and a central courtyard with orange trees

… after another:

Exterior view of a Manueline-style chapel rising above a cloister of Tomar Monastery, Portugal, with arched arcades, weathered columns, and a stone courtyard garden beneath a cloudy sky

In total, there are eight separate cloisters, all built in the 15th and 16th centuries.

Stone corridor of a cloister at Tomar Monastery, Portugal, featuring a vaulted ceiling with ribbed arches, a rustic pebble mosaic floor, and weathered columns opening onto a central courtyard
Framed view through a stone window at Tomar Monastery, Portugal, looking onto a cloister with classical columns, red-tiled rooftops, and decorative blue-and-white azulejo tiles in the foreground
Long vaulted corridor of a cloister at Tomar Monastery, Portugal, featuring coffered ceilings, stone columns, and terracotta tile flooring, with natural light filtering through arched windows

The Giant Arch of Tomar

The other very famous element here is this giant arch, carved between 1510 and 1513.

Intricately carved Manueline-style window at Tomar Monastery, Portugal, known as the Chapter House Window, adorned with nautical and botanical motifs, ropes, spheres, and the cross of the Order of Christ

The arch is famous both because it is beautiful and because it incorporates so many of the features central to the hyper-realistic and often-nautical Manueline decorative style: the Order of Christ cross, ropes, astrolabes (called armillary spheres here in Portugal, for some reason), roots, trunks, coral, algae. There’s even a sailor at the bottom:

Close-up of a stone carving of a sailor with a beard and cap entangled in thick nautical ropes, part of the elaborate Manueline-style Chapter House Window at Tomar Monastery, Portugal.

Archaeology at Tomar

It’s worth wandering into the archaeology room at the end of the Tomar visit to see the old gravestones, which have images that include architectural and masonry implements.

Ancient tombstone relief at Tomar Monastery, Portugal, depicting a farmer guiding two oxen pulling a plow, with an inscription carved below
Headstone with plowman
Stone headstone at Tomar Monastery, Portugal, featuring a deeply carved cross within a circular frame, symbolizing Christian faith
Headstone, 15th century
Stone tombstone at Tomar Monastery, Portugal, featuring a carved relief of a coiled serpent with open mouth and visible fangs, set within a circular design atop a rectangular base
Stone headstone at Tomar Monastery, Portugal, carved with agricultural implements including a harrow and plow attached to a yoke, along with a shovel, axe, two nails, and a sowing bag
Headstone w/agricultural implements (harrow & plow attached to yoke; shovel, ax, 2 nails, sowing bag)
Back of a stone tombstone at Tomar Monastery, Portugal, featuring faintly carved representations of a stone mason’s instruments, including a pick hammer, mallet, and two chisels, etched into the weathered surface
Back of headstone showing stone mason’s instruments (pick hammer, mallet, 2 chisels)

Terrific Tiles and Faces

Finally, Tomar wins the award for best tiles — and it also has some pretty great carvings (and a single painted ceiling) to boot.

Stone capital detail featuring a carved male face with a beard and flowing hair, located at Tomar Monastery, Portugal
Close-up of a weathered stone carving of a lion’s head on a column capital at Tomar Monastery, Portugal, showing age-worn textures
Close-up of ornate blue and white azulejo tile panel with circular floral and geometric patterns, located at Tomar Monastery, Portugal
Stone ceiling boss at Tomar Monastery, Portugal, depicting two figures holding an astrolabe, intricately carved into the Gothic ribbed vaulting
Intricate azulejo tile panel in blue, yellow, and white with interlocking floral and star motifs, from Tomar Monastery, Portugal
Stone relief carving at Tomar Monastery, Portugal, showing an image of a male figure opening a lion’s jaws above that of a bird grasping a snake, amid ornate foliage
Close-up of traditional blue and white azulejo tiles with intricate floral and geometric patterns, seen at Tomar Monastery, Portugal
Stone carving of a stylized human face with puffed cheeks, wide nose, and leafy detailing on a corbel at Tomar Monastery, Portugal.
Stone relief carving of a crowned, open-mouthed face with decorative ribbons, possibly a fountain spout, at Tomar Monastery, Portugal.
Detail of traditional blue and white azulejo tiles featuring intricate botanical motifs and scrolling border designs set on a crumbling white wall at Tomar Monastery, Portugal.
Stone relief carving of a mustachioed male face with an open mouth and nose partly broken off, possibly a decorative fountain spout, at Tomar Monastery, Portugal
Colorful azulejo tile panel featuring geometric and floral patterns in blue, yellow, and white tones at Tomar Monastery, Portugal
Intricately tiled chapel alcove with blue, yellow, and white azulejos and a stone altar, located at Tomar Monastery, Portugal.
Painted wooden ceiling featuring the Portuguese coat of arms, an armillary sphere, and the Cross of the Order of Christ at Tomar Monastery, Portugal
Ornate tiled corridor at Tomar Monastery, Portugal, with intricate blue and yellow azulejos, vaulted ceiling with painted motifs, and pink marble floor tiles
stone gargoyle sculpture of a twin-headed human-animal hybrid figure emerging from ornate Manueline carvings on the exterior of Tomar Monastery, Portugal

Alcobaça, Batalha, and Tomar are all designated World Heritage sites, and it’s easy to see why. If you can, try to visit all three!

Visit Tips for the ABT Trio — the Alcobaça Batalha Tomar Monasteries

  • Parking: The parking areas at Tomar and Batalha require payment, and the ticket machines only take coins. Make sure to have a number of Euro coins with you if you’re driving.
  • Entry Fees: There is a charge to enter each of these places. While there used to be a combo ticket that allowed you to see all three convents for a single price, that no longer exists.
  • Timing: It is possible to do all three of these in a single day, but that seems a bit crazy to me — you’ll be rushed, and it will be hard to appreciate what you’re seeing. I would recommend doing two convents on your first day (probably Alcobaça and Batalha, because they’re smaller) and then the last (probably Tomar, because it’s huge) on your second.
  • Washrooms: At both Batalha and Tomar, the WCs are at the end of the visit.

Planning a Longer Portugal Itinerary?

You can pair the ABT trio — the Alcobaça Batalha Tomar monasteries — with a visit to:

Leave a Reply

RECENT POSTS
Categories
Africa 17 Air Travel 1 Asia 261 Australia 42 Australia & New Zealand 57 Austria 3 Bhutan 7 Bonaire 2 Bosnia and Herzegovina 1 British Columbia 7 Bulgaria 4

Discover more from Traveler Tina

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading