Memory Arch

Category: Civil Architecture > Memorial

District: Leiria > Caldas da Rainha > Vidais > Arco da Memória

Location

The Arch of Memory stands in the locality of Vidais, in the municipality of Caldas da Rainha, nestled in a tranquil rural setting. Its position, along what were ancient territorial demarcations, allows visitors to appreciate the serenity of the surrounding natural landscape, an invitation to moments of reflection in contact with history and nature.

A Historical Legacy

This monument marks a point of particular importance in the history of Portugal. Legend has it that, in 1147, King D. Afonso Henriques made a solemn vow to Christ at this precise location: if he conquered Santarém, he would donate all the lands he could see from there, extending to the sea, to the Cistercian Order. The victory over Santarém led to the fulfillment of this promise, which resulted in the foundation of the magnificent Alcobaça Monastery. The Arch of Memory, therefore, symbolizes the beginning of the vast monastic domains that spread across this region.

The Structure and Its Significance

Originally built between the late 16th and early 17th centuries, and subsequently reconstructed in 1981, the Arch of Memory is a monumental stone structure with a perfect arch. Its faces once bore inscriptions documenting the reason for its construction and restoration interventions. In the past, it was even crowned by a statue of D. Afonso Henriques, underscoring its connection to the first King of Portugal. This arch, once a jurisdictional landmark delimiting the extensive monastic territories (coutos) of the Alcobaça Monastery, today serves as a reminder of the historical and cultural importance of this region.

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