Monastery Of Saint Andrew Of Rendufe

The Monastery Of Saint Andrew Of Rendufe​ is located in Amares and, although the date of its foundation is unknown, it is estimated to have been founded before 1090. It was one of the main Portuguese Benedictine centers between the 12th and 14th centuries, and after that it went into decline.

In 1551 the building was restored and later, at the beginning of the 18th century, there was constant construction activity, which led to the complete renovation of the church. The cloister was also rebuilt and the dormitory was remodeled with ten cells for the monks and one for the abbot. The library was built between 1716 and 1719.

After 1834, its church was converted into a parish church and the monastery, as well as the land belonging to the monastic enclosure, was sold to private individuals. In 1877, a violent fire almost completely destroyed the building. The church escaped unscathed. In 1960, the roof and vault collapsed, causing extensive damage to the interior decoration.

As for the grounds of the former monastic enclosure, these are almost entirely privately owned, so the conversion of these grounds into a wine farm led to the disappearance of the vast majority of the architectural structures, irrigation systems, chapels, paths and walls that once made up the monastic enclosure.

In 1943, the monastery was classified as a Property of Public Interest.