Monastery of Arouca
| Monastery of Arouca (Mosteiro de Arouca) | |
| Sacred Art Museum of Arouca, Church of São Bartolomeu, Parochial Church of Arouca | |
| Monastery (Mosteiro) | |
 The dominant facade of the 10th century monastery of Arouca
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| Official name: Mosteiro de Arouca/Museu de Arte Sacra de Arouca/Igreja Paroquial de Arouca/Igreja de São Bartolomeu | |
| Named for: Saint Bartholomew | |
| Country |  Portugal |
|---|---|
| Region | Norte |
| Subregion | Greater Porto |
| District | Aveiro |
| Municipality | Arouca |
| Location | Arouca e Burgo |
| - coordinates | 40°55′41″N 8°14′48″W / 40.92806°N 8.24667°WCoordinates: 40°55′41″N 8°14′48″W / 40.92806°N 8.24667°W |
| Architects | Carlos Gimac |
| Materials | Stonework, Granite, Masonry, Gilded woodwork, Wood |
| Origin | 18th century |
| Owner | Portugal |
| For public | Public |
| Easiest access | Avenida Vinte e Cinco de Abril, Largo de Santa Mafalda |
| Management | Instituto Gestão do Patrimonio Arquitectónico e Arqueológico |
| Operator | DRCNorte (Dispatch 829/2009, Diário da República, Série 2, 163 (24 August 2009) |
| Status |
National Monument Monumento Nacional |
| Listing | Decree 16 June 1910, Diário do Governo 136, 23 June 1910; Special Protection Area (ZEP), Dispatch, Diário do Governo, Série 2, 164, 15 July 1960 |
The Monastery of Arouca (Portuguese: Mosteiro de Arouca), located in civil parish of Arouca e Burgo, in the municipality of Arouca, in northern Portuguese district of Aveiro
The monastery was founded in the 10th century, in honour of St. Peter, by Loderigo and Vandilo, discovered in a fragment of a notice with the initials ERO. But, sometime during that century (1085-1095) it adopted the orders of St. Bartholomew (Portuguese: Regra de São Bento), although it remained a shared institution until the 12th century. The oldest documented reference dates to 1091, referring to the old religious community in Arouca.
Sometime between 1132 and 1143, a couto letter was issued by D. Afonso Henriques to the monastery, and from 1154, the monastery became a unique home for nuns.
In 1226, through a request from D. Mafalda, daughter of King D. Sancho I, a papal bull was issued to adapt the monastery to the Cistercian order, leading to her beginning her life at the monastery in 1229. By the time of her death, the site was one of the more important convents in the peninsula.
Vestiges of the rose window, suggests it dated to the 14th century, probably removed from a primitive Romanesque place of worship.
From the end of the 15th century to the beginning of the 16th century, there was work on the monastic buildings, including new spaces and alters, constructed the abadess of D. Leonor Coutinho de D. Melícia de Melo. Between 1596-1597, panels from the retable were painted by Diogo Teixeira.
At the end of the 17th century, the first reconstructions and expansions of the monastic complex were initiated, in the western and north wings. On 28 February 1701, there was a contract between abadess and masters António Gomes and João da Costa to remaking the altar for 600$000 réis. Yet, the following year (on 24 November) during a state visit, the church was referred to as being in a miserable state. This resulted in a new plan by Carlos Gimac for the church. Between 1704 and 1718. work on the church was undertaken, that included the nun's choir that would persist for the next 30 years. On 8 February 1722, António Gomes and Filipe da Silva worked on the choir chairs and gilded woodwork for 850$000 réis (completed on 21 October 1724), while on 12 June 1723, a new contract was issued for work on the retable by Luís Vieira da Cruz, at a cost of 1:000$000 rés.
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