Monastery Of Saint Mary Of Pombeiro

The Monastery of Saint Mary of Pombeiro is located in Felgueiras and dates back to 1102. The presence of the monastic community in Pombeiro has been documented since 853.

It was one of the most important Benedictine monasteries in the Entre-Douro-e-Minho region, accumulating vast land holdings and political influence. In the Modern Age, the monastery was greatly transformed, acquiring much of its current appearance. At the beginning of the 19th century, the cloisters were remodeled in a neoclassical intervention, but this was interrupted with the extinction of the religious orders in 1834.

In 1809, as a result of the French invasions, a fire broke out in the building which destroyed a large part of the community area, with only the church escaping unscathed. In 1819, following the campaign started after the fire that had hit the monastery years before, work began on rebuilding the monastery’s community area: the chapter house, the bookshop, the inn, the tulhas, among others, were built. New fillings were also bought for the sacristy.

In the middle of the 20th century, the complex began to be restored and, more recently, it has been the subject of a generalized archaeological intervention, which has made it possible to recognize the main phases of occupation of the site.

The Monastery has been classified as a National Monument since 1910.