Tom`s travels: Fatima, Batalha, Alcobaça and Obidos (12/10/2014)

This trip was organized by Quebra Tour a travel agency based on the Quebra costas stairs just below Sé Velha in Coimbra. We took an early bus, leaving at 7 in order to be able to see all four sites in one day. The first stop was Fatima, which I had visited the day before with ESN, so nothing new. Next we headed for the Batalha monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. I was with Simona (my friend from Bulgaria) and we started exploring the beautiful Gothic and Manueline complex built to commemorate the famous battle of Aljubarrota in which the Portuguese army managed to defeat the Castilian one in 1385. As we entered, a magnificent bare and polished white nave showed us the way to the main altar, though we headed first to the right where the Founder's Chapel was located. This square chapel was built in the first quarter of the 15th century and became the first royal pantheon in Portugal. At its center are placed the tombs of King John I of Portugal and his wife Philippa of Lancaster, all around are other tombs of some Princes and Kings. We then headed on to the Royal Cloister, beautifully decorated and sculpted with spires and columns and also with fountains at each corner. Heading on, on the eastern side is located the Chapter house which now contains two tombs of the Unknown soldiers died in WWI guarded by two sentinels. Further, we saw the refectory, sleeping rooms and kitchen once used by the monks. The last part was dedicated to the famous Unfinished Chapels which show how the monastery was never fully completed, the roof is missing but the niches are there. After this we were back on the bus and heading for our next destination Alcobaça monastery, also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Considered to be Portugal's first Gothic building, it was constructed around the 12th century. With a beautiful façade and a long and narrow nave, it is still Portugal's largest church. Once inside we started going around; we saw the Room of the Kings, the Chapter house, Sacristy, Dormitory, the beautifully vaulted Refectory that looked more like an inside cloister, and the kitchen with an incredibly huge and beautiful chimney with a canal flowing through it that would bring fresh water and fish from the nearby river directly in the kitchen (ingenious). Then we saw the D. Dinis cloister, which was the main one and very nice; there were also two other cloister which were closed (probably for restoration) the Levada cloister and the Rachadoiro cloister. We didn't have much time left so we quickly saw the remaining parts, including the famous and beautifully made tombs of D. Pedro I King of Portugal and his lover Inês de Castro. Legend goes: Pedro fell in love with a Galician noblewoman, Inês, but was prohibited to marry her by his father King Afonso IV. The King then ordered Inês death and Pedro destroyed by anguish decided to take revenge on her killers. After many years and having become King, Pedro ordered the exhumation of Inês corpse and ordered everyone to kneel in front of the decaying body and kissing her ring. This story was also famous in Coimbra since it is where it all happened, now the place being called the Fonte dos Amores in Quinta das Lagrimas. After the visit of the monastery we were left with our last stop on the trip: Obidos. This very nice medieval town, not too far from Lisbon and very close to Peniche, is completely surrounded by walkable walls and one of the best preserved in the country, no wonder its also one of the most visited sites. After hopping off the bus, we headed through the main gate and into the medieval town, colored houses already lining the narrow streets. Walking aimlessly, we traversed the town entered the Igreja de Santa Maria and reached the castle itself which is now a Pousada or luxury hotel. Here every year between July and August is held the medieval festival which attracts many people from around the country; but the most famous and internationally know festival is the Chocolate festival held in spring. After that we walked up some stairs and reached the top of the walls, where we circled the medieval town having some wonderful views to take pictures of. In the end we got back down in the city center and tried the typical drink of the town called Ginjinha or cherry liqueur which is served in a chocolate cup that can be then eater, very tasty! Overall it was a really nice trip even though a bit rushed especially for the two monasteries that alone could have taken half a day each to be thoroughly visited.