Monastery of Santa Clara a Nova, Coimbra

The Monastery of Santa Clara-a-Nova in Coimbra stands as a monumental testament to religious devotion and architectural evolution. Constructed in the 17th and 18th centuries, it was built to replace the earlier Monastery of Santa Clara-a-Velha, which had suffered repeated flooding due to its proximity to the Mondego River. The newer monastery, located in the Santa Clara parish, was designed to provide a more stable home for the community of nuns.

The Santa Clara Monastery was founded in the early 14th century by Queen Elizabeth of Portugal near the Mondego River. Canonized in the 17th century, her legacy endures in the new monastery, which houses her Gothic tomb and those of other royals. Due to flooding, King John IV ordered its relocation to higher ground in 1649. Designed by Father Joao Turriano and built under Mateus do Couto, the new monastery, consecrated in 1696, follows a Mannerist style with a rectangular layout, a single-aisled nave, high clerestory windows, and no transept.

The monastery houses 14 gilded altarpieces from the late 17th century, with the main one showcasing the silver and crystal tomb of Queen Saint Elizabeth, crafted in 1614. A 19th-century statue by Antonio Teixeira Lopes honors her legacy. The south façade features a portal with the royal coat of arms, while the convent’s grand Baroque entrance gate, designed in 1761, is attributed to Carlos Mardel, who likely also influenced the two-story cloisters, a Baroque architectural masterpiece.

Today, Santa Clara-a-Nova remains an important National Monument, preserving centuries of religious and artistic heritage in the historic city of Coimbra.