Description of the attraction
The Tibanish Monastery, or the Monastery of Saint Martin Tibanish, is located in the Miré de Tibanish area. It was founded in the 6th century, but almost nothing remains of the original building. In the 11th century, the monastery was rebuilt, and in 1567 it became home to the monks of the Benedictine order.
The facade of the monastery church is decorated in the Rococo style and is very colorful. At the beginning of the 12th century, the monastery received feudal privileges from Henry of Burgundy, Count of Portugal. Throughout the Middle Ages, after the kingdom of Portugal defended its independence, the rich and vast estates that were located in the northern part of the country passed into the possession of the monastery. The old monastery gradually fell into decay, and in the 17th century, many-sided reconstruction works were carried out, which completely changed the original appearance of the monastery. In this form, we can see the monastery today.
Restoration work was first carried out in the covered galleries (refectory and burial vault) and churches under the direction of the Mannerist architects Manuel Alvarez and Juan Turriano. By the beginning of the 18th century, the construction of the gates of the monastery, the dormitory of monks, a guest house, a building for meetings and a library was completed. The main altar and the wooden part of the triumphal arch of the main chapel, as well as the pulpit and side altars, are made in the Portuguese Rococo style. There are sculptures by the famous master Cipriano do Cruz in the church.
In 1864, the monastery and its surrounding grounds were sold at auction and gradually fell into disrepair. Most of the ensemble, including the refectory, was destroyed in a fire in 1894. In 1986, the monastery became state property, and the restoration of this historical monument began.
