Monastery of Santa Clara-a-Nova

Monastery of Santa Clara-a-Nova

Monastery of Santa Clara-a-Nova
4
8:30 AM - 6:30 PM
Monday
8:30 AM - 6:30 PM
Tuesday
8:30 AM - 6:30 PM
Wednesday
8:30 AM - 6:30 PM
Thursday
8:30 AM - 6:30 PM
Friday
8:30 AM - 6:30 PM
Saturday
8:30 AM - 6:30 PM
Sunday
8:30 AM - 6:00 PM
About
From here you have an amazing view over the city of Coimbra. In this church the incorrupt body of Saint Isabel, Queen of Portugal, patron of Coimbra and wife of D. Dinis, the founder of the Portuguese University, rests in a silver tomb. Its cloister is the largest cloister of Portugal with an arcade and gallery. A beautiful statue of Saint Isabel, that is carried in procession during the great festivities, stands at the top of the church. The baroque gilded woodwork, the paintings, the magnificent gothic stone tomb of the Holy Queen and the row of 76 chairs, among other art works are certainly worth a visit. Since we are a private institution and have no help from the government or municipality, the entrance fees cover basic maintenance and pay for the young employees who keep the doors and gates of the churchyard 7 days a week open to visitors. We appeal to your understanding and support, but also to your contribution to the badly needed rehabilitation and conservation interventions.
Duration: 1-2 hours
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  • phil19560
    119 contributions
    3.0 of 5 bubbles
    Road works coimbra
    Planes planned to visit the monastery, the road is closed and under construction, no parking available on the route Attention!!!! the entire avenue fernao de maghales is under construction with major traffic jams!!!
    Visited April 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written April 19, 2024
  • JEAN_G33
    Richmond, Virginia26 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    An incredible church / convent across the river- well worth the extra walk to get there!
    Such a beautiful church and monastery/convent. "New" is a relative term- newer than the original across the river, but still several centuries old. Ana, our guide, provided a wonderful overview of its history and we were able to go behind the main chapel snd see older artifacts, which was also very informative. Because it is across the river (which is a great area to stay in, by the way), we were the only ones there and got a private tour for a very reasonable price. Don't miss this amazing place!
    Visited April 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written April 28, 2024
  • TammyLeb
    Quebec City, Canada56 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A Gem! Worth the visit for only 5 Euros
    Pleasant surprise. Our driver brought us to this monastery where Queen Saint Isabella tomb is. Nice to be away from highly touristy area. Very interesting personal tours. The walking stick that was gifted to her over 700 years ago during one of her pilgrimage of the Caminhos do Santiago is displayed. Just spectacular. A gem.
    Visited June 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written June 5, 2024
  • MYC000
    Melbourne, Australia21 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    More than meets the eye! Worth the effort climbing up the slopes.
    Definitely get the guided tour for €5. You’ll understand so much more and have access to areas not open to the general public including the original tomb of Queen Elizabeth of Portugal (no photos allowed). You also see some relics including the shroud found wrapping her remains together with the 700 year wooden stick that was buried with her. Her remains are in the second casket in silver and gold in the main altar. Yes - there are 2 tombs. I went on the 9.30am tour and there were only 3 of us. Our guide Liliana was passionate about the history and gave good explanations. We were also told that this is privately owned so they don’t receive state funding so all the more to support them! Beautiful area to walk around with great history that is away from crowds. Worth coming out of the way for even if you do have to take an Uber. Otherwise be prepared to climb up slopes - which I did not mind at all.
    Visited September 2024
    Traveled solo
    Written September 13, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.


4.0
4.0 of 5 bubbles289 reviews
Excellent
137
Very good
94
Average
37
Poor
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11

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Daniela C.
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2023 • Friends
I went with a friend to visit the monastery. Even though we arrived just before lunch time, the super sweet ladies allowed us to visit. We had a complete tour and our guide, Dora, was phenomenal, you can tell she likes and is interested in what she does, very cultured, always ready to answer questions, super friendly, always with a smile on her face and even when it's time lunch did not rush the visit at all.
The monastery is incredible, as is the entire history and the tomb of Queen Santa Isabel.
It was super pleasant and I will come back with my other friends.
Even though it costs €5, it is well worth it and it may be that one day they will be able to restore the parts that already need restoration.
It's really worth it, we loved it. Thank you Mrs Dora, much success!
Google
Written September 15, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Kim C
Province of Taranto, Italy12 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2023 • Couples
A beautiful experience NOT TO BE MISSED on your tour of Coimbra. Our guide, Dora, provided a terrific amount of information of the history of one of the truly spectacular places in the city. She spoke excellent English and guided us through the rich history of the rulers of Portugal and the unique importance of the Monastery. She gave us wonderful facts about the old monastery ruins by the river and how some of the most important features were transported to the beautiful hilltop location.
Written September 26, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Daniel Nolla
Lisbon, Portugal5 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2023 • Couples
We took a guided tour of the show. The same lady who sold us the ticket was the one who guided us and told us all the details about the church. Very friendly and attentive, answered all our questions. It was one of the best experiences in Coimbra
Google
Written October 9, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Alina B
Sibiu, Romania1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2023 • Family
My husband and I were thinking we're just going to visit another church/monastery...
But it wasn't like that. We chose to visit the monastery with a guide.
We discovered a lot of fascinating stories and learned a lot about Portugal's history. We were enchanted!
Thank you for the wonderful visit!

Written October 5, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Andrew W
Exeter, UK3 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2015 • Friends
We arrived in Coinbra late on a Sunday afternoon and wanted something to pass the late afternoon before dinner. It was quite a long steep walk up the hill but the views across the city were glorious. The chapel and cloisters are cheap to enter and lovely to look around, there is not much to see, but if you appreciate nuns and all things monastic, then it is worth a walk up the hill
Written July 5, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

permia
Ireland67,094 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2019 • Couples
It was interesting to learn that here was a replacement for the old monastery that had been poorly placed and subject to major floods from the river.

Imposingly on high, it makes for an impressive approach and entrance through the grand gateway. From the grounds we had panoramic views across the river to the university and old town.

Baroque is the predominant style of the fine church. With a grand nave the view is taken to the exquisite altar, highly ornamented in gilt.

The cloisters are delightful. Decorative arches and columns surround a two storey tranquil space with lovely greenery. A soaring sculpture with a holy figure atop embellished with halo is impressive.
Written May 21, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

acasasnovasg
Heathrow, FL3,122 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2018 • Couples
Monasterio de Santa Clara
Coimbra, Portugal

2 Saints...2 Monasteries!

Santa Clara and Santa Isabel meet here, in history, on this great Monasteries, let's find out how was and why was this encounter:
Coimbra, located in the very heart of Portugal wasn't included in the original schedule of our long-time planned and long gastrotour of (almost) all Spain and north of Portugal. Originally I set our route, from Porto to Seville, via Salamanca, but everything changed when I founded ”Atrio Restaurant & Hotel”, another interesting high-end gastronomic destination, unknown to me, in Caceres. When I was revising, for ”enesima vez”, my homework notes for our route, I found that this ”Atrio” with its alluring 2 Michelin Stars, its great comments on TA and other sources, was a place that can't be overlooked in our agenda...I rerouted, via a mandatory stop in Caceres, our way to Sevilla.
Then I founded Coimbra, an interesting place that once was Portugal’s capital city, right in our way, from Porto to Caceres...before heading to Sevilla and to Madrid, final destination of our cherished Gastrotour 2018
So...after visiting all Porto attractions and enjoying its gastronomic adventures, from its fantastic restaurants, we were off to Caceres’s ”Atrio”. As it was a long way, we planned our mid-way stop in Coimbra, but we had a late start on Porto after our great last dinner there...regrettable that circumstance shortened our time to be dedicated to beautiful Coimbra, but that would be a nice excuse to be back soon to better enjoy it
Within our short time I decided to visit just one of its attractions and we selected the ”Santa Clara Convent” or ”Mosteiro de Santa Clara-a-Nova” in keeping its proper original name in Portuguese.
The main reason to our selection was its easy access, in and out, in our way to Caceres, but besides it has an interesting and close historic relation connected with the important figure of Santa Isabel of Portugal...that adds 2 Saints there.

When ”Santa Clara a Velha Monastery” was first built it had difficulties because of its closeness to the Mondego River and the frequent floodings from it. A conditions that worsened throughout the times. Because of those continual floods, King John IV order the construction of a new monastery called ”Santa Clara a Nova”. Most recent, the recovery works, carried out in the building, led to the discovery of many archaeological interesting traces. Because of this finding, this national monument, now has revitalized the space and its History.
Regarding the Creation of Santa Clara Convent itself, the first building of the monastery was founded in 1286, but the Santa Cruz monks opposed to the existence of a new feminine monastic house and it was closed a few years later. However, by early 1300, Isabel of Aragon (burned in Zaragoza Spain) reopened the monastic house and the nuns returned to Coimbra.
Isabel was a Dowager Queen; a widow of a previous ruling King. After king’s D Dinis death, Isabel retired to the monastery, now better known as the ”Monastery of Santa Clara-a-Velha”, which she had founded -in 1314- in Coimbra. Then she joined the Third Order of St. Francis, devoting the rest of her life to the poor and sick. Even during the great famine in 1293, she donated flour from her cellars to the starving people in Coimbra. She was also known for being modest and humble in dressing and conversation, for providing lodging for pilgrims, distributing small gifts and educating the children of poor nobles. All in all Isabel was a great benefactor of the needs in Coimbra. For those qualities, her charitable nature, and her devotion -to her faith- she was canonized -as Saint- in 1626...that close and important is her story and her figure to that Monastery and the city.
It had a Consecrated Church, a hospital welcoming poor people, a Manor House, where Queen Isabel resided, like a dowager, and its own cemetery.
After parking our car on its large parking areas, when we first entered the immediate Square, fronting that complex, the Santa Isabel statue, erected in the left side of that entrance...caught our immediate attention. It's a simple work -as herself- but gracefully dressed all in white, overlooking the river at his beloved city, like protecting and blessing it...as you can see in our pics
We couldn't access the complex areas itself, as they were closed that day, but we got important info from one of its friendly staff members entering to it.
We learned that the well-preserved Gothic ruins of the old monastery (a Velha) were nearby, down the road access to this ”newer” (Nova) one.
The complex seems -to my old architect eyes- as interesting, as the histories involving it. An example of these details was founded by us at its different entrance door...including the one to parking areas (see pics)
Anyway, Coimbra merits another longer visit, which would be an excuse to return soon to explore its many enchantments.
Because of Its historical and architectural importance -this Complex- was declared a Portugal National Monument in 1910.
I need to note -and clarify to avoid confusions- that this complex visited by us was the ”Monastery of Santa Clara-a-Nova” (Mosteiro de Santa Clara-a-Nova...in Portuguese) that was built to replace the mediaeval Monastery of ”Santa Clara-a-Velha”, located nearby, which at those time -as mentioned- was prone to frequent flooding by the waters of the Mondego river.
”...A Nova” in Portuguese means a New Place or New one
”...A Velha” in Portuguese means an Old One or the Old one
Written October 27, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

lynne b
tavira94 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2013 • Couples
Much of this complex served until recently as an army barracks. Now available to the visitor is the entrance courtyard, the enormous baroque cloisters and the magnificent interior of the church. Queen Isabel´s solid silver tomb is on display and a series of panels shows how her tomb was moved from Santa Clara-a-Velha to its new location. For the visitor there was unfortunately very little information about Stª Clara-a-Nova. Ironically, the ´new´convent is in a poorer state of repair than the ´old´one. This attraction is off the beaten path and is reached after a steep climb up a pebbled street, but it is well worth the effort.
Written June 10, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

KYtraveler79
Cincinnati, OH988 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2019
I went here first thing in the morning and had the cloister part all to myself. It was SO WONDERFUL and peaceful! It was silent and I just sat there in this historic place and enjoyed the peace. It is easy to see why religious people would have found peace and religion in that place. One of my favorite spots in Coimbra!
Written October 12, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Jezz C
Hickling, UK2,715 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2019 • Couples
We climbed up here on foot from the old Monastery and so glad we did as it was exhilarating and an opportunity to take photos on every turn if the road. The church and the cloisters came as a package of €2 and seemed like a great deal. Evidence of the amount of restoration work required is visible everywhere. We started off taking photos of the best view if Coimbra around near the statue Queen Isobel outside. The church is high ceilinged and the body of Queen Isobel is in a silver casket behind the altar. Next up are the cloisters which are stunning especially the gardens even at this time of year. So glad we made the effort to get up here away from the crowds down below. We were totally alone most of the time.
Written April 24, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Monastery of Santa Clara-a-Nova, Coimbra

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