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King Dinis Cloister

Domingo Domingues and Master Diogo and Domingo Domingues e Mestre Diogo1308/1311

Alcobaça Monastery

Alcobaça Monastery
Alcobaça, Portugal

The nerve centre of the whole Monastery and obligatory stop on the way to all the monastery rooms, the Cloister was also a place for reading and meditation.

This is the only mediaeval cloister in Alcobaça Monastery. Built during the reign of King Dinis, most likely between 1308 and 1311, it was designed by Domingo Domingues and Master Diogo. It is one of the most beautiful Portuguese Gothic cloisters.

Later, when Manuel I was on the throne (1495-1521), the Abbot Jorge de Melo had an upper floor added (the Upper Cloister), designed by João de Castilho.

The whole Cloister features vaulted ceilings, with transverse round arches and ogives (transverse ribs). The vaulting coincides with the asymmetry in construction and are particularly irregular on the west side.

For a better understanding of the evolution of the overall construction work, it is important to note the archaism of some of the Cloisters elements that sit alongside other elements that can be dated to the 15th century.

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  • Title: King Dinis Cloister
  • Creator: Domingo Domingues and Master Diogo, Domingo Domingues e Mestre Diogo
  • Date Created: 1308/1311
  • Location Created: Alcobaça Monastery, Portugal
  • Rights: DGPC/ADF - José Paulo Ruas
Alcobaça Monastery

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