Category: Religious Architecture > Convent
District: Portalegre > Marvão > Marvão > Santa Maria de Marvão
The convent is located in the town of Marvão, in the district of Portalegre, in a historic and picturesque region of Portugal.
Founded in 1448 with papal authorization, the convent was built on the site where a chapel dedicated to Our Lady of the Star once stood. According to legend, the image of Our Lady was hidden by D. Rodrigo, the last Visigothic king, during the Muslim invasion of the Iberian Peninsula, and was only discovered centuries later, during the Reconquista, by a shepherd.
The convent has a quadrangular plan with two floors, creating a central cloister with a cistern. The cloister still preserves its Gothic vaults and the elegant arches and columns that support the structure.
Currently, the convent is used as the headquarters of the Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Marvão and functions as a residence for the elderly.
The chapel, originally built in the 16th century, stands out for its baroque decoration. Inside, you can admire the main altarpiece in stone and a coat of arms stone that adds grandeur to the space.
The convent has been classified as a Property of Public Interest since 1982, which guarantees its conservation and protection as cultural heritage.
The corridors and several dependencies on the upper floor, such as the cloister and the kitchen area, still maintain their original features, despite some alterations made throughout the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries.
Sources: https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Convento_de_Nossa_Senhora_da_Estrela
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt
Coordinates DD: 39.39406694849861,-7.373102593530415
Coordinates DMS: 39°23'38.6"N 07°22'23.2"W
Weather Marvão
On-duty Pharmacy Marvão
