Portugal Guide: Alcobaça

Mosteiro de Santa Maria de Alcobaça

Another massive religious structure built as thanks to God for a war victory against the Moors at Santarem.
Finished in 1218 Alcobaça Monastery originally housed 999 monks and soon became the most powerful and richest in Portugal. It later developed into the most decadent institution in the country too, a renowned centre of gluttony with huge, sophisticated kitchens - even including a water channel diverted from a nearby river to bring fresh fish directly to the cooks, and 'fat, waddling monks' [William Beckford, 18thC].

Another interesting story connected with Alcobaça is that of Dom Pedro and Dona Ines, illicit royal lovers. The king, Pedro's father, had Dona Ines killed to avoid political complications, not realising that they had already secretly married.
After the king's death in 1357, Dom Pedro succeeded to the throne and had the hearts of the killers torn out, lightly braised and served to him with fava beans and a nice vino verde. Dom Pedro also exhumed Ines' corpse, crowned it and made the royal court kiss her decaying hand.
The lovers are now lying in magnificent face-to-face tombs in the monastery so that when they sit up on Judgement Day the first thing they see will be each other. Awwwww!

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