3354 - The Cloisters of São Vicente


You may have suspected it from afar: São Vicente is pretty much of a sight. In fact it has much more the character of a royal palace than that of a humble site of prayer.

The monastery complex has not one but two big cloisters, both richly decorated with azulejos. We’ll see more of them in one of the next posts.

Regardless of all decoration the overall feeling is one of cold detachment. São Vicente was obviously built as an architectural representation of power. I wouldn’t want to live there, although I have to admit, the view from the roof is one to die for 😄