Alcobaca is a 15-minute drive from Nazare. Here, you can visit the first and the largest Gothic church in Portugal and a monastery which was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It contains the tombs of Dom Pedro and Dona Inês de Castro.
It was easy to find parking near the building on a Wednesday morning in early May. Pay for 1 1/2 hours to be safe. There was no admission fee for the church and the tombs.
The interior of the church is stark and massive..
Flanking the main altar is a pair of tombs--those of Dom Pedro and Ines, Portuguese's tragic love story. Pedro met Ines at his wedding to Ines' cousin Constance. He fell in love with Ines. After Constance died, he secretly married Ines and had 4 children. His father Afonso IV, fearing that Ines' children would ascend to the throne, ordered Ines' beheading.
The tomb on the left is that of Ines (1323-1355).
Her head is supported by angels, who are poised to raise her on Judgment Day so she can see Pedro, her love, once again.
Her tomb features scenes from the life of Christ.
It is supported by her murderer holding a monkey--a sign of evil.
The tomb on the right is that of Dom Pedro (King Pedro I, 1320-1367). He too is supported by angels poised to raise him on Judgment Day so he can see his love Ines.
The Wheel of Life beneath his head features the king on his throne at the top and in his tomb on the bottom. The good things in his life are on the left and the bad things (including the beheading of Ines) on the right.
Scenes from the life of St. Bartholomew (who was skinned alive) encircle the base of the tomb. The tomb is supported by lions, a symbol of royalty.
Other notable sights in the church are a pair of Manueline doors, marking the entrance to the sacristy .
and the Royal Pantheon.
I debated whether or not to stop in Alcobaca and was so glad we did. It took about an hour to see the church and the tombs. We didn't pay to see the cloister.
2022 05 04
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