–Alcobaça

A new historical hotel at Alcobaça

~ saltofportugal ~ 3 Comments

The Montebello Mosteiro de Alcobaça is a graceful new hotel nestled within the ancient walls of a Cistercian monastery. Eduardo Souto Moura, a Portuguese architect who received the Pritzker Prize, oversaw the rehabilitation project. Moura endeavored to preserve most of the monastery’s original structure, skillfully incorporating wood and marble elements that blend with the original materials, creating a seamless fusion of the present and past.

Each guest room has its own distinct character, but they all offer a serene refuge from the demands of modern life. A stunning interior pool where green waters flow amongst imposing arches evokes a sense of grandeur reminiscent of the glorious Caracalla baths.

The hotel’s central location makes it an ideal starting point to explore Nazaré‘s colossal waves, the charming medieval town of Óbidos, and the magnificent Mafra convent.

The history of the monastery intertwines with the birth of Portugal. On February 2, 1140, Dom Afonso Henrique, the first king of Portugal, placed the monastery’s foundation stone near the confluence of the Alcoa and Baça rivers. Later, in 1153, the king bequeathed the Cistercian Order vast expanses of fertile lands, stretching from the Candeeiros mountain range to the sea.

These were gestures of religious devotion but also political acts. The young monarch sought to express gratitude to his cousin Bernard of Clairvaux, the head abbot of the Cistercian Order, for his unwavering support. The king also hoped that Bernard would persuade Pope Alexander III to recognize Portugal as an independent nation. 

Bernard succeeded. In 1179, Pope Alexander III issued the Bula Manifestis Probatum, confirming “by the apostolic authority to your exalted domain the kingdom of Portugal with full honors of a kingdom and the dignity befitting kings.”

The architecture of the Alcobaça Monastery drew close inspiration from the Clairvaux Abbey, the spiritual home of the Cistercian monks. Construction began in 1153, but the first Portuguese king did not live long enough to witness its completion. It was Afonso II, his great-grandchild, who inaugurated the monastery 85 years later. 

Over the subsequent seven centuries, the Alcobaça Monastery flourished and expanded. Initially constructed in a Gothic style, the church was later decorated with Baroque elements. In 1755, a splendid library was added, featuring gracefully curved walls, evocative paintings, and colorful marble floors. But after the abolition of the religious orders in 1834, the vast building gradually fell into disrepair until the restoration project that resulted in the new hotel started twelve years ago.

Today, the Clairvaux Abbey rests in ruins, but the Alcobaça Monastery still stands. It has withstood the ravages of time, surviving the earthquake of 1755, the floods of 1722, the pillaging by Napoleon’s troops in 1810, and so much more. Meticulously restored, it shares its unique heritage with all those who visit.

The address of the Montebello Mosteiro de Alcobaça is Rua Silvério Raposo 2, Alcobaça, tel. 262 243 310.

A taste of Alcobaça in Lisbon

~ saltofportugal ~ 14 Comments

Alcoa

Alcoa, a pastry store in the historical town of Alcobaça, has been producing magical concoctions of flour, sugar and eggs since 1957. They use ancient recipes developed by monks of the order of Cister from two local monasteries, Alcobaça and Santa Maria do Coa.

Alcoa’s pastries have always been revered in the Alcobaça region. But outside the region, only a few knowledgeable gourmets made regular pilgrimages to taste Alcoa’s delights. That all changed when Alcoa started winning top prizes in the annual competition for the best “pastel de nata.” Suddenly, Alcobaça became a destination for dessert lovers.

Neophytes journeyed to Alcoa for the “pastel de nata” only to find a new world of delights with whimsical names and exotic shapes: cornucopias, Saint Peter’s secret, fradinho (little monk), eggs of paradise, and much more. The happiness of Lisbon residents plummeted with the knowledge that these heavenly sweets were 120 km away. Luckily, the owners of Alcoa felt pity for Lisbon’s dwellers and decided to bring their sweet alchemy to Chiado. And now, happiness has returned to the capital city.

The original Alcoa pastry store is on Praça 25 de Abril, 44 in Alcobaça, tel. 262 597 474. The new store in Lisbon is on Rua Garret, 37-39, Chiado, tel 21 1367183.

The Alcobaça game

~ saltofportugal ~ 8 Comments

Alcobaça Composite

It can be hard to visit monuments with little kids, so it is always a good idea to engage them in a game. If you visit Alcobaça, a beautiful abbey in the middle of Portugal, you can ask your kids to go on a treasure hunt. They can look for stones with carved initials and photograph them. This game can turn an otherwise boring visit into a memorable one.

Masons often carved their personal marks on stones placed in the parts of the cathedral where they worked. They did it to show pride in their work but also to claim the work as theirs so they could get paid.

Centuries later, these signatures remind us of the humble people whose hard work created a legacy of enduring beauty.

Alcobaça

~ saltofportugal ~ 1 Comment

RBD_Alcobaça
Alcobaça, ink on paper, Rui Barreiros Duarte, 2014.

To understand Portugal, you have to visit Alcobaça. It was here that the first king of Portugal, Dom Afonso Henriques, founded a monastery in thanksgiving for his conquests. He laid the first stone in 1148 on a beautiful valley irrigated by two rivers, Alcoa and Baça.

Alcobaça became a center of agricultural research with a vast library that included volumes printed by Gutenberg. The monastery served as a luxury hotel for the royal family and their guests, but it also baked bread to feed the poor. The kitchen of the monastery was famous throughout the kingdom. Water from the river Alcoa runs through the kitchen, providing water for cleaning and cooking.

Built in an early gothic style, the monastery was expanded and renovated throughout the centuries. King Dom Pedro erected sumptuous tombs to celebrate his eternal love for Inês de Castro. Henry the Navigator, who was the abbot of Alcobaça, built a palace inside the abbey. Every stone of the Alcobaça monastery is a page of the history of Portugal.