The Monastery of Santa Cruz, located in the historical center of Coimbra was foundedin 1131 by the ‘Ordem dos CónegosRegrantes de Santo Agostinho’. The Church of Santa Cruz, part of the complex, is one of the best examples of 12th century Romanesque architecture in Portugal.
The church has several titles: local icon, National Monument, but, above all, National Pantheon. The latter is justified by the fact that the church is the resting place of the first king of Portugal.
But the church is also home to the tomb of the country’s second monarch, crowned in the Cathedral of Coimbra in 1185.
Besides the tomb of D. Afonso Henriques, the church houses the tomb of Sancho I since the year 1211. The second king of Portugal, the only legitimate son of Afonso I that outlived his father, became known in Portuguese history as ‘The Populator’.
Discover more about Coimbra on our blog.
Map and Directions
Contacts
