Welcome to my 15th #monomad challenge entry!
The monastery and church were the first Gothic buildings in Portugal, making it one of the most important medieval monasteries. It was included in the list of Worlds Heritage Site of UNESCO back in 1989. Founded in 1153 as a gift from the first Portuguese King - Afonso Henriques - in accomplishing as assert of the consolidation of the lands recently conquered to the Moors, during the "Christianic conquer".
The Four Cardinal virtues are represented in the entrance of the Monastery. They are prudence, justice, fortitude, temperance. They form a virtue theory of ethics.
The very often representation of Justice (δικαιοσύνη, dikaiosýnē; Latin: iustitia): also considered as fairness - the Greek word also having the meaning righteousness
The Fortitude (ἀνδρεία, andreía; Latin: fortitudo): also termed courage: forbearance, strength, endurance, and the ability to confront fear, uncertainty, and intimidation. Here represented with a cannon... And so true representation in even for the XXI (unfortunately)
...One of the virtues that in our now a days is more often forgotten... The Prudence (φρόνησις, phrónēsis; Latin: prudentia; also Wisdom, Sophia, sapientia) - the ability to discern the appropriate course of action to be taken in a given situation at the appropriate time.
...and "her" twin sister... the Temperance (σωφροσύνη, sōphrosýnē; Latin: temperantia): also known as restraint, the practice of self-control, abstention, discretion, and moderation tempering the appetition. Plato considered Sōphrosynē, which may also be translated as sound-mindedness, to be the most important virtue.
An "delicious" detail of the impressive stone work
The central Nave of the Church it is absolutely mesmerizing... And captures the attention of whom passes by with a camera or something to record it in film.
The importance of the monastery is huge, since many monarchs were buried here in between the XIII e XIV centuries. Kings Afonso II and Afonso III, as long with their wife and queens Urraca of Castile and Beatrice of Castile, as King Pedro I and his mistress, Inês de Castro, who was murdered on the orders of Pedro's father, King Afonso IV.
Alcobaça Monastery was classified as a National Monument on January 1, 1907.
The main façade of the monastery has two plain-style wings with the church in the middle.
The façade of the church is a mix of styles: the portal and the rose window above were part of the original church, while the statues and the two flanking towers were added in the beginning of the 18th century.
