St. Mark's Palace

Category: Culture and Entertainment > Tourist Attraction

District: Coimbra > Coimbra > São Silvestre > Casais de São Silvestre

Location

The São Marcos Palace is located in the town of São Silvestre, within the urbanisation or area of Casais de São Silvestre, in the municipality of Coimbra. Its position offers an environment of tranquility, characteristic of the Portuguese rural landscape, being sufficiently distant from the urban hustle to provide a serene visit, yet with the city of Coimbra relatively close.

This location allows for enjoying the calm of the countryside, being the ideal setting to appreciate the palace's architecture and history without the pressure of the city pace. The surroundings are marked by a rustic and peaceful atmosphere.

A Heritage with Centuries of History

The São Marcos Palace, initially a Monastery of the Order of Saint Jerome, began to take shape in the 15th century. Its origin dates back to a small hermitage established in 1441. The foundation of the monastery as we know it is largely due to the donation of lands by D. Brites de Meneses in 1451, who would later reside and be buried in this location.

Over the centuries, the complex underwent various renovation and expansion works, involving notable architects and sculptors of the time. However, in 1834, with the extinction of religious orders, the monastery passed into private hands, and in 1860, a fire destroyed a large part of its structures, saving only the church and the old apothecary house. The São Marcos Palace is currently a National Monument, under the purview of the University of Coimbra, revealing a history rich in transformations and adaptations, including a period when it served as a palatial residence.

Sacred Art and Architecture

The architecture of the São Marcos Palace is a testament to the different eras that shaped the building, with the church standing out as its main centre of artistic and historical interest. The entrance to the church is through an impressive portal in the Manueline style, richly ornamented with naturalistic motifs.

Inside, the main chapel, designed by Diogo de Castilho, captures attention with its remarkable ribbed vaulting and the high altar retable, a piece of polychrome stone by Nicolau Chanterene. The church is also an important nucleus of tomb art from the 15th and 16th centuries, housing the tombs of the founder, D. Brites de Meneses, and members of the Silva family, with works attributed to masters such as Diogo Pires-o-Moço and João de Ruão.

Also worthy of note is the pulpit in the nave, a work by Diogo Pires-o-Moço, and the tomb of Fernão Teles de Menezes, a beautiful example of Flamboyant Gothic. Adjoining the nave, the Chapel of the Three Kings, from the 16th century, is a landmark of Coimbra Mannerism, with its Renaissance architecture and distinct tombs. The palace's cloister, in turn, reflects the typology of Renaissance cloisters in the Coimbra region.

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