Church of Santa Maria de Cós or Monastery of Santa Maria de Cós

Category: Religious Architecture > Church

District: Leiria > Alcobaça > Cós > Pomarinho

Location

Parish of Cós, Alpedriz e Montes, municipality of Alcobaça, district of Leiria, Portugal.

History

, Founded in the late 12th or early 13th century.

, Intended for Cistercian nuns following the rule of Saint Benedict.

, First historical reference in 1241.

First known Abbess

D. Maria Peres (1337).

, Significant development from 1530 with reforms under King D. João III and Cardinal Infante D. Afonso.

, Significant renovations in the 17th century, including the construction of the current church.

, Baroque decorations in the early 18th century.

Architecture

Church

Single nave with raised chancel and nuns' choir.

Manueline Portal

Located in the monastic choir, with vegetal and heraldic ornaments.

Interior

Ceiling of the nave in a false barrel vault with painted wooden coffers.

Chancel

Covered with gilded carvings and panels, culminating in the altarpiece with the Holy Family.

Nuns' Choir

With 106 seat stalls and blue and white tiles.

Sacristy

Tile panels with episodes from the life of Saint Bernard and painted wooden ceiling.

Classification

, National Monument since 2021.

, Previously classified as property of public interest since 1946.

, Procedure to expand the classification initiated in 2017.

Annex Structures

, Partially preserved conventual workshops.

, First section of the dormitory still visible, perpendicular to the church.

Archive

Historical documents of the monastery available in the National Archive/Torre do Tombo and in the District Archive of Leiria.

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

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