Monastery of Santa Clara-a-Velha

Classification: Monument

Founded in 1283 by D. Mor Dias, a noblewoman from Coimbra, the Monastery of Santa Clara was initially a modest complex consisting of a small church, cloister, and dormitory. However, the initial works were embargoed by the Canons Regular of St. Augustine, who did not look favorably upon the foundation of a new monastic house and filed a lawsuit seeking the extinction of the Order of Santa Clara.

Years later, in 1314, Dona Isabel of Aragon, Queen Saint Isabel, took an interest in re-establishing the monastery, ordering the construction of new buildings, notably the cloister and the church, which was consecrated in 1330.

Frequent flooding caused by the Mondego River led to constant architectural changes in the monastic buildings.

Finally, in 1677, the Poor Clares saw their dream of a new monastery, more sheltered from the riverbanks, come true. This new building would become known as the Monastery of Santa Clara-a-Nova.

In 1995, work began to restore this ancient monastery, which has yielded several pleasant surprises that have been open to the public since 2008, not only the ruins, but also the Interpretive Center with archaeological finds.