Have you ever wondered what secrets lie within the ancient walls of Mancelos? You are standing before a true treasure of Portuguese history. The Monastery of Mancelos was originally built by the Portocarreiros lineage. It was later taken over by the Fonsecas. It was incorporated into the Order of the Canons Regular of Saint Augustine.
Look closely, and you can see a stone inscription marking 1166. This might have been the year when the temple was consecrated or dedicated. But the remaining architecture points to a later date, closer to the 13th century. The main portal, with its exquisitely sculpted capitals and a smooth tympanum, tells a story of a time long gone by.
This portal is gracefully protected by a galilee, which has allowed it to remain so well preserved. The galilee, the tower, and other elements add to the church’s grandeur. It has been through many transformations over the centuries. There are clues to these changes in the masonry and structural additions. On the south side, where the cloister was probably located, an arcosolium still guards a tomb. The Romanesque interior was significantly altered during the Counter-Reformation.
Another point of interest is the cemetery near the monastery, the final resting place of Amadeo de Souza-Cardoso. He was a prominent figure of Portuguese Modernism. Amadeo’s fame is a testament, in part, to the legacy and culture of this magnificent Mancelos.