Category: Religious Architecture > Monastery
District: Coimbra > Penacova > Lorvão
The Monastery of Lorvão is located in the locality of Lorvão, integrated into the municipality of Penacova. It is situated in an entrenched valley, surrounded by an exuberant and mountainous natural landscape. The imposing building stands out in the urban area of Lorvão, dominating the main square of the village and lying close to a small stream, with houses nestled on the hillside opposite.
The history of the Lorvão Monastery dates back to very ancient times, with mentions suggesting a possible foundation in the 6th century. However, it is the written documents after the Christian Reconquest, from the year 878 onwards, that attest to the existence of a religious community on the site. Initially male and following the Benedictine Rule, the monastery played a significant role in agricultural development and the repopulation of the region. It became a center of knowledge and production of illuminated manuscripts in the 12th century, with notable works such as the Book of Birds (Livro das Aves) and the Apocalypse of Lorvão.
A significant transformation occurred in 1206, when the monastery passed to the Cistercian Order and became a female community, dedicated to Santa Maria. This change was driven by Infanta D. Teresa, daughter of King D. Sancho I, who retired to Lorvão after the annulment of her marriage. Her sister, D. Sancha, also lived here. The monastery welcomed nuns of high nobility and achieved periods of great prosperity throughout the centuries, especially under the governance of influential abbesses.
The appearance we contemplate today at the Lorvão Monastery largely results from the extensive campaigns of works carried out during the 17th and 18th centuries. The church, in particular, was rebuilt during this period, featuring a Baroque style that reveals influences from the Mafra Basilica, with remarkable monumentality. The architectural complex includes, in addition to the church, cloisters and old dependencies such as dormitories and the gatehouse, which dates back to 1630.
Despite successive remodels, it is still possible to find vestiges of earlier eras. In the church tower, a marble stone with Visigothic ornamentation is embedded, suggesting the antiquity of the site. In the cloister chapels, sculpted Romanesque capitals still survive, testifying to the medieval construction that preceded the dominant Baroque forms.
The interior of the church surprises with its artistic richness, reflecting the importance and prosperity that the female monastery achieved. In the main chapel, there are silver funerary urns holding the relics of Infantas D. Teresa and D. Sancha, valuable works by the goldsmith Manuel Carneiro da Silva, dated 1715. Beneath the dome covering the church's transept, large canvases painted by Pascoal Parente stand out.
The separation between the church nave and the choir area, where the nuns sat, is made by a remarkable wrought-iron grille enriched with gilded bronze applications, considered one of the most beautiful examples of Rococo in Portugal. In one of the choir altars, one can admire the image of Our Lady of Life (Nossa Senhora da Vida), a devotional piece originating from the 14th century.
One of the most impressive elements of the Lorvão Monastery is undoubtedly the choir stalls in the lower choir. Created between 1742 and 1747, this masterpiece of Portuguese carving was executed in noble woods such as Brazilian rosewood and walnut. It is recognized for the delicacy of its ornaments and the expressiveness of the figures of saint martyrs carved into the backs of the chairs. The original masks on the lower part of the seats add a touch of fantasy to this ensemble, which is considered one of the most spectacular and technically masterful in the country.
In the choir, above the grille separating it from the church, stands a large pipe organ. Built by António Xavier Machado Cerveira in 1795, this musical instrument is notable for its uniqueness: it has two opposing facades, making it unique in Portugal. It features a neoclassical aesthetic, sober and elegant, and has a total of 61 stops, giving it a particular sound that echoes through the grandeur of the monastic space.
The cloister is an inner courtyard with a tranquil and harmonious ambiance. Its construction, in the early years of the 17th century, followed the classicist style characteristic of the Coimbra region. It is a two-story space with arcades supported by columns and includes various chapels that served for the private devotion of the nuns. In the center, a landscaped quadrangle invites serenity, with a fountain. On the ground floor, the Chapter House stands out for its walls covered with polychrome pattern tile panels, dating from the Mannerist period.
Throughout its long existence, the Lorvão Monastery accumulated a vast and valuable artistic and documentary heritage. However, after the extinction of religious orders in the 19th century, much of this collection was dispersed. Important pieces, such as furniture, silverware, and sculptures, are currently exhibited in various national museums, notably the Machado de Castro National Museum in Coimbra. Historical documents of great relevance, such as parchments and missals, including the celebrated Apocalypse of Lorvão, are preserved in the Torre do Tombo (National Archives) and the University of Coimbra Library.
Sources: https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mosteiro_de_Lorvão
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt
Coordinates DD: 40.25959664553119,-8.317456442281737
Coordinates DMS: 40°15'34.5"N 08°19'2.8"W
Weather Lorvão
On-duty Pharmacy Lorvão
