Description of the attraction
The monastery was founded by Donna Mora Dias in 1280 for Clarissian nuns. The monastery did not last long, and in 1311 it ceased to exist. In 1316, the wife of King Dinis I, Queen Isabella of Portugal, rebuilt the monastery.
Queen Isabella of Portugal was also called the "Holy Queen" because of her exceptional piety and righteousness. The Queen was also famous for her kind character, founded hospitals, orphanages and schools. After the death of her husband, King Dinish, she retired to this monastery. And in 1336, the queen died and was buried in a monastery in a tomb decorated in the Gothic style. In 1626, Queen Isabella was canonized for her mercy and good deeds.
The first architect of the monastery was Domingos Dominguez, famous for his work on the galleries of the monastery of Alcobas. He continued the work of this architect Estevao Dominguez, who became famous for his work on the galleries of the Cathedral in Lisbon. In 1330, the consecration of the temple took place, and a little later a monastery was added to the southern part of the church. Monetary donations and gifts were often presented to the monastery. At the beginning of the 16th century, the church was decorated with Seville tiles and new altars were installed.
Since the monastery and the church were built on the left bank of the Mondego River, a year later the buildings were flooded by the overflowing river waters. And over the course of several centuries, the monastery was flooded many times. Due to frequent floods, it was impossible to stay in the monastery, and King John IV ordered to leave the building and move to a new monastery - the monastery of Santa Clara a Nova, built on a hill not far from the old building. The tomb containing the ashes of Queen Isabella and other royal figures has been moved to a new building.
Over time, the old monastery turned into ruins. In 1910, the building was included in the list of monuments of national importance, and some reconstruction work was carried out in the first half of the twentieth century.
