Category: Civil Architecture > House
District: Leiria > Alcobaça > Ataíja de Cima
Located in the picturesque village of Ataíja de Cima, in the municipality of Alcobaça, this edifice is set in a predominantly rural environment. Its location allows visitors to enjoy the tranquility of the countryside and a landscape marked by agricultural areas and vegetation, characteristic of the Leiria region. The setting invites observation of traditional rural life, far from urban hustle and bustle.
The House of the Monk Wineryman, or Friars' Press House, has its name intimately linked to its function and its probable original owners. The designations "Monk Wineryman" and "Friars' Press House" point to a historical connection to monastic communities, suggesting that this place was once a property linked to a monastery, possibly within the orbit of the famous Alcobaça Abbey.
The building primarily served as a lagar (press house), an essential structure in the rural economy for the production of wine or olive oil, using presses and other mechanisms to extract liquids from grapes or olives. Its designation implies that the management or operation of this productive unit would have been the responsibility of a monk, or that the property belonged directly to the friars. In addition to its industrial function, the building also included a residential component, the "house," which would have served as a residence for those operating the press house or managing the surrounding agricultural property.
As an example of rural civil architecture, the House of the Monk Wineryman reflects the simplicity and robustness of the region's traditional constructions. It is characterized by a solid structure, built using local materials such as stone and wood, adapting to the practical needs of its time and function. The thick walls and the organization of spaces would have been designed to optimize work in the press house, while also providing conditions for domestic life.
The fusion of residential and agricultural production functions gives it architectural uniqueness, where the elements of a house combine with those of an artisanal industrial unit. Its features reveal functionality over ostentation, serving as a testament to the ingenuity and way of life of communities that depended on agriculture.
This place offers a perspective on the economic activities and social organization of the past, particularly the importance of wine or olive oil production for the subsistence of communities and religious institutions. The House of the Monk Wineryman is a remnant of a past where agriculture and monastic life were intrinsically linked, shaping the region's landscape and culture.
Visiting this place is an opportunity to reflect on ancestral production techniques and on the fundamental role that buildings like this played in the economic and social context. Its existence underlines the richness of Alcobaça's rural heritage and the ability of its constructions to tell stories of work, devotion, and adaptability throughout the centuries.
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt
Coordinates DD: 39.550469888001786,-8.896555433681502
Coordinates DMS: 39°33'1.7"N 08°53'47.6"W
Weather Ataíja de Cima
On-duty Pharmacy Ataíja de Cima
