Monastery of San Fins

Category: Religious Architecture > Church

District: Viana do Castelo > Valença > Friestas > Trofa de Cima

Location

Located in the serene Trofa de Cima, in the village of Friestas, Valença municipality, the Monastery of San Fins stands in an elevated position, at about 200 meters of altitude. This rural setting offers an atmosphere of tranquility and allows visitors to enjoy the natural beauty surrounding the monument, with traces of its ancient oak forest and hills that invite contemplation of the Minho landscape.

Romanesque Architecture

Classified as a National Monument since 1910, the Monastery of San Fins is a remarkable example of Romanesque architecture, dating back to the 12th century. Its church, with a single nave and a rounded apse, stands out for the sculpted details in granite stone. A profusion of decorative elements can be observed, such as the corbels under the roof, which display phytomorphic and zoomorphic figures, including expressive gargoyles.

In the tympanum of the main portal, an engraved serpent and geometric patterns invite symbolic interpretation, while inside, a capital features a curious calf's head, a distinctive trait of Romanesque art from the Alto Minho region. The high walls and two levels of narrow windows attest to the constructive ingenuity of the era to ensure interior illumination.

Legacy and History

The history of the Monastery of San Fins dates back centuries, with records pointing to a very ancient foundation, perhaps as early as the 7th century, although its current structure is predominantly medieval. Originally a male monastery, linked to the Benedictine Order or the Canons Regular of Saint Augustine, this place was an important religious and social center, exercising influence over a vast territory, known as a "couto" (a type of privileged land in medieval Portugal).

Even today, ruins of the old monastic dependencies, currently arranged in an L-shape, and an aqueduct can be seen, testaments to the scale this religious complex achieved throughout time. The monastery today serves as a relevant historical and cultural landmark, keeping alive the memory of a significant part of Minho's past.

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