Mosteiro da Batalha

Erected in celebration of the 1385 victory at the Battle of Aljubarrota, this Dominican convent was later the burial ground for 15th century monarchs.

TravelCurious Tip

The surrounding countryside of Serra d’arie and Candeeiro are famous for their wines — it would be remiss not to try them

True To His Word

Batalha means battle in Portuguese, which is appropriate: this town was founded by King João of Portugal to pay homage to his victory over the Castillians at the Battle of Aljubarrota. In one blow he put an end to the crisis of the Portuguese Interregnum in 1385. Prior to the battle the King made a vow to the Virgin Mary that, if he triumphed, he would built a monastery in her honour. He stayed true to his word. Although Batalha itself is only a small, unassuming town, it has became a great attraction by virtue of the magnificent Mosteiro de Santa Maria da Vitória.


A Backhanded Compliment

It took Portugal’s finest craftsmen almost two centuries to erect Batalha’s monastery. It is mainly Gothic in style, but it incorporates certain Manueline elements too. It is in fact an early example of Manueline design: its wondrous Royal Cloister and seven unfinished chapels holds some of the first nautical motifs recorded that typify the Manueline style. Indeed those seven chapels are unfinished because the masons were extracted mid-project to work on the Mosterio de Jerónimos in Lisbon, which is perhaps Portugal’s most famous Manueline design.


The Great, Perhaps the Good

Inside, tombs are dedicated to the great and the good, or perhaps just the great, of Portuguese history. Lying stone figures of King João and his English wife Philippa of Lancaster clasp hands for eternity in the Chapel of Founders; nearby lies the tomb of their famous son, Henry the Navigator. Another part of the monastery is dedicated to the fallen soldiers of the World Wars, thus linking the thread of time through lives spread over the centuries.

Nearby Attractions

See all attractions in Lisbon
Fátima
A religious town dating from the 14th century, famed for the Marian Apparitions witnessed in 1917.
Batalha
A small Gothic town founded by King John I of Portugal to celebrate the end of the crisis of the Portuguese Interregnum in 1385.
Alcobaça
A historic 12th century town that is home to the country's largest monastery and cathedral complex, the Mosteiro de Alcobaça.
Mosteiro de Alcobaça
A gigantic church built by King Afonso, the Mosteiro de Alcobaça evolved into one of the most prominent Gothic monuments in Portugal.
Nazaré
This picturesque seaside village is home to some of the country's very best beaches.
Caldas da Rainha
This city is famed for its thermal baths and traditional ceramic pottery.

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