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From the twelfth century until the middle of the nineteenth, the Cistercian Abbey of Alcobaca (9am-5/7pm; ?2) was one of the greatest in the Christian world. Owning vast tracts of farmland, orchards and vineyards, it held jurisdiction over a dozen towns and three seaports until its ultimate dissolution in 1834. The monastery was originally founded by Dom Afonso Henriques in 1147 in celebration of the liberation of Santarem from the Moors, and is a truly vast complex - its main Church is the largest in Portugal. The exterior is disappointing, as the Gothic facade has been superseded by unexceptional Baroque additions. Inside, however, all later adornments have been swept away, restoring the narrow soaring aisles to their original vertical simplicity. The only exception to this magnificent Gothic purity is the frothy Manueline doorway to the sacristy, hidden behind the high altar. The abbey's most precious treasures are the fourteenth-century tombs of Dom Pedro and Dona Ines de Castro , each occupying one of the transepts and sculpted with phenomenal wealth of detail to show the story of Pedro's love for Ines de Castro, the daughter of a Galician nobleman. Fearing Spanish influence over the Portuguese throne, Pedro's father, Afonso V, forbade their marriage. The ceremony nevertheless took place in secret, whereupon Afonso sanctioned his daughter-in-law's murder. When Pedro succeeded to the throne in 1357 he exhumed the corpse of his lover, forcing the entire royal circle to acknowledge her as queen by kissing her decomposing hand. The tombs - inscribed with the motto "Ate o Fim do Mundo" (Until the End of the World) - have been placed foot to foot so that on the Day of Judgement the lovers may rise and immediately feast their eyes on one another. The most amazing room in the building is the kitchen , with its cellars and gargantuan conical chimney, supported by eight trunk-like iron columns. A stream tapped from the River Alcoa still runs straight through the room: it was used not merely for cooking and washing but also to provide a constant supply of fresh fish. The Sala dos Reis (Kings' Room), off the beautiful Cloisters of Silence , displays statues of virtually every king of Portugal down to Dom Jose, who died in 1777. The rest of the abbey, including four cloisters, seven dormitories and endless corridors, is closed to the public. Alcobaca's tourist office (daily 10am-6/7pm; tel 262 582 377) is opposite the abbey on Praca 25 de Abril. Pensao Restaurante Coracoes Unidos (tel 262 582 142; GBP10-15/$16-24/?18-27), around the corner at Rua Frei Antonio Brandao 39-45, has decent rooms . The Quartos Alcoa (tel 262 582 727; GBP10-15/$16-24/?18-27), off the Praca da Republica, beside the abbey, is cheaper, but best of all is the Residencial Mosteiro (tel 262 581 836; GBP10-15/$16-24/?18-27) on Avda. Joao de Deus 1. There's also a campsite (tel 262 582 265), ten minutes north of the bus station along Avda. Manuel da Silva Carolino. Good-value places to eat include the touristy Frie Bernado , Rua D Pedro V, a huge place serving huge meals, and Celeiro dos Frades , or the monks' barn, atmospherically situated under the arches alongside the abbey.
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