São Bernardo Monastery, Portalegre

Discover the São Bernardo Monastery of Portalegre, one of the best preserved Cistercian houses in Portugal.

São Bernardo Monastery, Portalegre
© Câmara Municipal de Portalegre

The Mosteiro de São Bernardo (São Bernardo Monastery) was founded by D. Jorge de Melo in 1518 in the hillside of Serra de Portalegre, north of Alentejo, Portugal.

The monastery is one of the best preserved Cistercian houses in Portugal, and both the church and cloisters stand out. Entrance to the church is through a Renaissance portico to the crociere, a remarkable sculptural work by Nicolau de Canterenne dating back to 1538. The church is characterized by Manueline style and, inside, lies the tomb o D. Jorge de Melo himself, from 1540, one of the most lavish tombs in Portugal.

The cloisters also follow the Manueline style and are surrounded in spiritual peace. The monastery was abandoned in 1878, after the death of the last nun. After that, it housed a seminary, a Liceu, and City Museum, until 1911, when it was occupied by several military units. Nowadays, it houses the Republican National Guard.

More Information:

Location:

Avenida George Robinson, Portalegre, Alentejo, Portugal.

Opening Hours:

From 9h00 to 12h30 and from 14h00 to 18h00.

Mapa Interactivo:

Other worth-visiting nearby towns and cities:

Why "Portugal Travel"?

Portugal Travel is an organization of Portuguese agencies whose objectives are:

✓ To make Portugal, its culture and its heritage known.
✓ To promote sustainable tourism.

In collaboration with:

Escola Superior de Hotelaria e Turismo do Estoril

Turismo de Portugal