The Santa Clara-a-Velha Monastery was founded by Mrs. Mor Dias in 1283, and it was given to the Clarissas nuns.
Queen Saint Elizabeth showed early her interest in the convent and ordered to built a new Gothic church, which was consecrated in 1330. Unfortunately, it was not build in a good place, as it suffered many floodings provoqued by the Mondego River.
The convent was abandoned in 1677, and the nuns moved out to the Santa Clara-a-Nova Monastery.
In 2009, this Gothic convent was reopened after almost 20 years of unceasing restoration works, as it had been flooded since the 17th century.
Beside him there is an adjacent museum which exhibits what is found in the archaeological excavation and two movies are projected, one about the nuns who inhabited it, and another about the restoration works.
More information:
Location:
Rua das Parreiras, Coimbra.
Ticket Price:
5€.
Opening Hours:
Opening Hours in Summer (from the 1st May to the 30th September): From Tuesday to Sunday from 10h00 to 19h00.
Opening Hours in Winter (from the 1st October to the 10th April): From Tuesday to Sunday from 10h00 to 17h00.
Telephone:
(+351) 239 801 160.
How to arrive:
Bus: 6, 14, 14T, 20, 31.
E-mail:
mosteiro.scvelha@drcc.pt
Mapa Interactivo:
Portugal Travel is an organization of Portuguese agencies whose objectives are:
Escola Superior de Hotelaria e Turismo do Estoril
Turismo de Portugal