Holy Cross Church

Praça 8 de Maio
Phone: (+351) 239.822.941

Holy Cross Church
The Convent of the Holy Cross, founded in 1131, lodged Augustine friars.

During the 15th, 16th and 18th centuries, new buildings were added and it became an important cultural centre for arts and literature.

The only remains from the concent are now the Holy Cross Church and its cloister.

The single nave of the church leads to the main chapel containing the tombs of the first two kings of Portugal, Afonso Henriques and Sancho I, with Gothic sculptures; the main body of the church dates from the first half of the 16th century and the vault was designed by Boitac.

It exhibits panels of Baroque tiles, made in Lisbon and depicting the Holy Cross and the life of St.

Augustine.

The choir has 15th-century carved stalls; it is also worth admiring the Baroque organ dating from 1719-1724.

The pulpit, from 1521, is thought to have been designed by Nicolau de Chanterenne and is considered a Renaissance masterpiece.

The Mannerist vestry, built in the 17th century, has paintings by several artists, namely Grão Vasco and Cristóvão de Figueiredo.

The Chapterhouse is Manueline, as is the cloister to which it leads.