S. Bento monastery

The S. Bento monastery in Santo Tirso is a very beautiful place to visit, and probably has the cloister with the most beautiful atmosphere I’ve encountered. Being the current church the realization of the project of Friar João Turriano, sun of a Milanese architect, in the 17th century, the fact is that this church is originally from the 10th century, more precisely from the year 978. The original complex was founded by D. Unico Godiniz, who has been member of the Benedictine Order. With the growth of the Portuguese territory during the Christian Re-conquest, this order started to receive offers of lands and in 1098 it was already one of the richest of Portugal. The Benedictine Order was dismantled in 1834, when the Portuguese state ended all the religious orders due to their power and influence over the matters of the kingdom. A consequence of the Liberal Politics that by then influenced Portugal, against the traditional Absolutist Ruling.
Inside the church, beautiful 16th and 17th century paintings can be seen, as well a 17th century organ and sculptures like a Pietá and stunning baroque altars painted in gold. Besides the church, the complex has several other parts like the Gothic cloister with a baroque fountain, the Agrarian School and an Archaeological Museum which shows artifacts dating from over 3000 years.
Santo Tirso, PORTUGAL

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