Arnóia Convent, including the church, the wayside cross, the fountain-oratory, the mills, the granary house, and agricultural outbuildings.

Category: Religious Architecture > Convent

District: Braga > Celorico de Basto > Arnoia

Location

The Monastery of São João de Arnóia is located in the parish of Arnóia, municipality of Celorico de Basto, in the district of Braga, Portugal.

History

The monastery was founded at the end of the 10th century, although its original construction is older. There are two theories about its founder: it is believed to have been founded by Múnio Moniz, a descendant of D. Afonso Henriques and mayor of Arnóia Castle; or by D. Arnaldo Baião, at the end of the 9th century.

Architecture

The Monastery complex has an elongated plan with a square bell tower. The facades are made of stonework and have straight windows facing the cloister. The frontispiece was renovated in the 19th century.

Church

The interior of the church has a single nave and a relatively recently built chancel, with emphasis on a tympanum sculpted with the "Agnus Dei" attributed to the School of Rates. There were six private tombs of the main families of the parish.

Cross

The monastery has a cross, a religious structure composed of a cross on a pedestal, symbolizing the Christian faith.

Fountain-Oratory

There is a fountain-oratory in the monastery, a place where the faithful can pray and seek drinking water.

Mills

The mills are an integral part of the Monastery of Arnóia complex, representing the agricultural activity of the region. They were used to grind grains and produce flour.

Tulha House and Agricultural Annexes

In the monastery, there is the Tulha House and other agricultural annexes, which were part of the economic activities related to agriculture and the storage of products.

Current state

Currently, the monastery is under the administration of the Santa Casa da Misericórdia of São Bento de Arnóia. On site, there is a nursing home, home support and a kindergarten.

Visitation

The Monastery of Arnóia is open to visitors, allowing tourists to appreciate the historical architecture, the church, the cross, the fountain-oratory, the mills, the tulha house and the agricultural annexes.

Sources: https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mosteiro_de_São_Bento_de_Arnoia

License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt