| Whether viewed from the top of the boulder on the ancient castle or from
any other point of the wide enclosure of the Monastery, the Abbey of Santa
Maria de Alcobaça is an imposing Christian monument. Chosen by UNESCO as
the monument of the World-wide Patrimony, today the Monastery of Alcobaça
represents a piece of XIII to XVIII Century European Art History. Alcobaça's
castle was built by arabs in the confluence of two rivers, the Alcoa and
the Baça, their names representing the fertile surroundings of the valley
where it was built. In 1153 Don Alfonso Henriques, after winning the war
against the Moors and being declared the first king of Portugal, conquered
the arab castle and promised the Christians of the region he would donate
the whole region to the Cistercians monks. Shortly after, the Cistercians
begun the construction of the great gothic Abbey. The monks developed a
successful agricultural system, thus attracting the people who had built
houses around the Monastery. The Abbey of Alcobaca then became of enormous
importance. For eight centuries governors and leaders continued their traditional
lives in Maiorga, Cela and Alfeizerao thanks to fertility of the land, the
abundance of the fruit, vegetables and wines, the beauty of its ceramics,
the sparkling of its polished crystals and the priceless value of the Conventry
Cisterciense de Cos as well as all the many other churches with its decorated
gates in manuelinas. History is also kept alive in other medieval houses
and the windows of manuelinas from Aljubarrota that on 14 August 1385 were
witness to the heroic battle in a nearby valley that gave Portugal its independence
and also launched the kingdom into the hand of the Dynasty of Avis, to the
Epic of the Discoveries and the Renaissance. Later, thanks to tourism, the
regions of Leiria and Fátima gained great importance. You can also visit
the beautiful beaches and the lovely bays from San Martinho do Porto, the
golden sandy bay of Paredes do Vitoria and all the other beaches that are
close to the historic Pine of Leiria. The therapeutic thermal waters from
Piedade are very well known in the Alcobaça region. Finally, the Serra do
Candeeiros which is full of natural enchantments, richness and secrets is
surrounded by a stone wall which protects the Natural Park of the Mountains
of Aire and Candeeiros. |
