Coimbra (Sé Nova, Santa Cruz, Almedina e São Bartolomeu), Portugal

Monastery of Santa Cruz

Coimbra (Sé Nova, Santa Cruz, Almedina e São Bartolomeu), Portugal

Open to visitors

The interior is normally open, possibly ticketed.

Strollie cannot guarantee access — always check before you travel.

Find out more

The Monastery of Santa Cruz in Coimbra, Portugal, is a National Monument founded in 1131 by Saint Theotonius as a house of Canons Regular and erected between 1132 and 1223. Constructed in the Manueline style, it served as the most important monastic establishment during the early Portuguese monarchy and was granted the status of National Pantheon because it holds the burials of Portugal's first two kings. The monastery accumulated considerable wealth through papal privileges and royal grants, becoming a center of intellectual and political significance; its renowned school and extensive library attracted medieval scholars, while its scriptorium assisted in consolidating royal power under King Afonso Henriques, who chose to be buried within its walls.