Portugal

The monastery is known since the second half of the 11th century, got remodeled, enlarged and rconstructed a couple of times during the centuries. It was locked for visitors, as it had to be reconstructed and renovated again in 2013.

A Benedictine convent existed here since ~ 1080. End of the 12th century the monastery got imncorporated into a commandry of the Knights Templar, whom the monks had to pay for protection. Later Augustin Canons lived here until the convent got dissolved and the church converted into a parish church in 1434. The "Igreja de São Salvador", erected within the 12th century, is small, but has wonderful and very unique carvings.

A Benedictine convent existed here since ~ 1080. End of the 12th century the monastery got imncorporated into a commandry of the Knights Templar, whom the monks had to pay for protection. Later Augustin Canons lived here until the convent got dissolved and the church converted into a parish church in 1434. The "Igreja de São Salvador", erected within the 12th century, is small, but has wonderful and very unique carvings.

A Benedictine convent existed here since ~ 1080. End of the 12th century the monastery got imncorporated into a commandry of the Knights Templar, whom the monks had to pay for protection. Later Augustin Canons lived here until the convent got dissolved and the church converted into a parish church in 1434. The "Igreja de São Salvador", erected within the 12th century, is small, but has wonderful and very unique carvings. Here is the western portal.

A Benedictine convent existed here since ~ 1080. End of the 12th century the monastery got imncorporated into a commandry of the Knights Templar, whom the monks had to pay for protection. Later Augustin Canons lived here until the convent got dissolved and the church converted into a parish church in 1434. The "Igreja de São Salvador", erected within the 12th century, is small, but has wonderful and very unique carvings. The (maybe incomplete) tympanum is not that special, as obviously different workshop or masters have worked here. Christ (in a blessing gesture, holding the bible) sits in a mandorla, that is held by two persons. The lintel is supported by two large animal heads. Left is a bovine.

A Benedictine convent existed here since ~ 1080. End of the 12th century the monastery got imncorporated into a commandry of the Knights Templar, whom the monks had to pay for protection. Later Augustin Canons lived here until the convent got dissolved and the church converted into a parish church in 1434. The "Igreja de São Salvador", erected within the 12th century, is small, but has wonderful and very unique carvings. Here are the capitals of the flanking columns (left side). These carvings are extraordenary not only in quality, but as well in their complexity, that reminds me on the "Pilier de Souillac", - but in a way smaller scale. Following Manuel L. Real ("Portugal Roman", Edition Zodiaque), Igreja de São Salvador is one of the most beautiful Romanesque "village churches", in the whole of Portugal. He identifies Barbary macaques on the left pillar - and on the archivolt above.

A Benedictine convent existed here since ~ 1080. End of the 12th century the monastery got imncorporated into a commandry of the Knights Templar, whom the monks had to pay for protection. Later Augustin Canons lived here until the convent got dissolved and the church converted into a parish church in 1434. The "Igreja de São Salvador", erected within the 12th century, is small, but has wonderful and very unique carvings. Here are three pillars of the left side of the portal. Following Manuel L. Real ("Portugal Roman", Edition Zodiaque), who claims, that Igreja de São Salvador is one of the most beautiful Romanesque "village churches", in Portugal, the left pillar depicts Barbary macaques, the center depcts a nun (veil) - and to the right a braiding of snakes ending in three heads.

A Benedictine convent existed here since ~ 1080. End of the 12th century the monastery got imncorporated into a commandry of the Knights Templar, whom the monks had to pay for protection. Later Augustin Canons lived here until the convent got dissolved and the church converted into a parish church in 1434. The "Igreja de São Salvador", erected within the 12th century, is small, but has wonderful and very unique carvings. Here are three pillars of the right (more weathered) side of the portal. Following Manuel L. Real ("Portugal Roman", Edition Zodiaque), the person in the center is a monk. He stands opposite the nun (prev. upload). Again here the sculpture has these "lenghty" proportions. To the right are the monkeys again - they actually run around the archivolt.

A Benedictine convent existed here since ~ 1080. End of the 12th century the monastery got imncorporated into a commandry of the Knights Templar, whom the monks had to pay for protection. Later Augustin Canons lived here until the convent got dissolved and the church converted into a parish church in 1434. The "Igreja de São Salvador", erected within the 12th century, is small, but has wonderful and very unique carvings. To the very left is one of the animal heads, that supports the lintel. The inner archivolts have geometric patterns, followed by human male and female figures (one holds a walking stick), the monkeys (Manuel L. Real claims "Barbary macaques") - and birds.

A Benedictine convent existed here since ~ 1080. End of the 12th century the monastery got imncorporated into a commandry of the Knights Templar, whom the monks had to pay for protection. Later Augustin Canons lived here until the convent got dissolved and the church converted into a parish church in 1434. The "Igreja de São Salvador", erected within the 12th century, is small, but has wonderful and very unique carvings. The left side of the portal. To the right is the bovine head, that supports the lintel. To the left are the higly complex capitals - and just like on the right side (prev. upload) the archivolts with geometric patterns, followed by human male and female figures, the monkeys (Manuel L. Real claims "Barbary macaques") - and the birds.

A Benedictine convent existed here since ~ 1080. End of the 12th century the monastery got imncorporated into a commandry of the Knights Templar, whom the monks had to pay for protection. Later Augustin Canons lived here until the convent got dissolved and the church converted into a parish church in 1434. The "Igreja de São Salvador", erected within the 12th century, is small, but has wonderful and very unique carvings. The side portals are less elaborate than the main portal (see prev. uploads). Here is a pretty roughly carved "Agnus Dei" - and two remarkable lion heads, that support the lintel.

The Igreja de São Salvador (aka "Igreja de Paderne") is located in Paderne, now part of larger Melgaço. A monastery was founded here in 1130, sponsored by Paterna, a noble widow, who then joined the convent with her daughters. Later Augustine canons lived here until the monastery got dissolved in 1770. The church got reconstructed and remodeled a couple of times and now serves the parish. The church has two western portals, so that it seems first, that here are two churches side by side.

The Igreja de São Salvador (aka "Igreja de Paderne") is located in Paderne, now part of larger Melgaço. A monastery was founded here in 1130, sponsored by Paterna, a noble widow, who then joined the convent with her daughters. Later Augustine canons lived here until the monastery got dissolved in 1770. The church got reconstructed and remodeled a couple of times and now serves the parish. The church has two western portals, so that it seems first, that here are two churches side by side. Here is the larger, central portal, - seen in pouring rain. The archivolts have geometric patterns.

The Igreja de São Salvador (aka "Igreja de Paderne") is located in Paderne, now part of larger Melgaço. A monastery was founded here in 1130, sponsored by Paterna, a noble widow, who then joined the convent with her daughters. Later Augustine canons lived here until the monastery got dissolved in 1770. The church got reconstructed and remodeled a couple of times and now serves the parish. The church has two western portals, so that it seems first, that here are two churches side by side. Here is the left, smaller portal. This side of the church was used during funerals.

The town of Melgaço exists since the late 12th century. The Igreja Matriz was erected mid the 13th century and was named first "Igreja de Santa Maria da Porta", as it was located next to the portal of the medieval castle of Melgaço. The church still has Romanesque parts, but got remodeled and reconstructed many times over the centuries.

The Igreja de Arnoso Santa Maria, just south of Braga, is tiled with "azulejos", glazed tiles, that give it a distinctive, very "Portuguese" look. The blue/while tiles can be found on many buildings in Northern Portugal.

Probably founded between 1110 and 1130 by the local nobility, Augustine Canons lived in the Mosteiro de Santa Maria de Landim. The former convent´s church was largely remodeled within the 16th century. Today the church and the remaining (well restored) buildings are a favourite place for wedding parties. www.mosteirodelandim.com/

Following José Mattoso (("Portugal Roman", Edition Zodiaque) the Mosteiro de Santo Tirso (aka "Mosteiro de São Bento") is one of the oldest Christian convents in Portugal. He cites a deed of donation from 770. A later document about the monastery is from Ramiro II of León (900-951). The buildings seen today are younger. The single nave church was erected 1659 - 1679.