And so we are back to the Alcobaça Monastery. It will take me a while to show you all the amazing rooms one by one. They all deserve the attention and with the amount of photos it is impossible to throw them all into one post.
For today I have The Chapter House (Sala do Capitulo). A chamber that I checked twice actually. The first time I was just admiring and took just a couple general shots. Then later I came back to fix the lack of photos problem and paid more attention to some details.
Each room had a little info in front with a map. This is the first room that we see after we enter the Monastery part after visiting the church.
You enter the room and they all stare at you (or admire the garden view behind...)
The Chapter House was used for the monks' assemblies and was, after the church, the most important room in the Monastery. Its name comes from the readings that were made from the chapters of the Benedictine Rule. On the other hand, this room was the place where the monks voted and carried out other similar acts.
In the past, the floor of this room was completely covered with these funerary plaques, because according to a Cistercian law from the year 1180, abbots had to be buried in the Chapter House.
source
The entrance is guarded by two female statues that are meant to represent devotion and resilience.
I could not find a lot of detailed info about the statues, so I asked ChatGPT and this is what it told me:
The Sala do Capítulo (Chapter House) of the Alcobaça Monastery contains several notable statues, mainly depicting religious figures. Some of the key statues include:
Saint Benedict – Founder of the Benedictine monastic order, which influenced the Cistercians.
Saint Bernard of Clairvaux – A key figure in the Cistercian Order, which founded Alcobaça Monastery in the 12th century.
Portuguese Kings and Queens – Some statues represent royal patrons of the monastery, such as King Afonso Henriques, who donated the land for its construction.
Religious Figures – Various abbots, monks, and saints associated with the monastery's history.
 |  |
View to the corridor and garden:
The whole room is filled with light. All thanks to the light stone - Limestone that was mainly used to build the place.
Here you can notice the lovely ceiling:
Shot with: OnePlus 7 pro
All photos and text are my own.
The Chapter House is such a fascinating part of the Alcobaça Monastery. The natural light combined with the limestone architecture creates a truly captivating atmosphere. The historical significance of this room, from the readings of the Benedictine Rule to its use as a burial site for abbots, is remarkable. Thank you for sharing these details and beautiful photos—they bring the history to life!
You can check out this post and your own profile on the map. Be part of the Worldmappin Community and join our Discord Channel to get in touch with other travelers, ask questions or just be updated on our latest features.
You have done a great report of the monastery. Congratulations. My favorite is the photograph of the statue of the woman without a hand. It's great. 👌
This hall of this building must have been an important hall. This hall is splendid and the statues that are placed inside it are beautiful. This hall of this building must have been an important hall. This hall is splendid and the statues that are placed inside it are beautiful.
So interesting!! Great photos 😍
The designs and arhitecture really amazed me so much. Visiting in a historical place just like is a kind of wonderful and great moments. ☺
The natural light that enters the room helps to admire each of its details including the statues, I find interesting the saints that were a fundamental part for the construction and history of the building.
will definitely add this to my list!
No doubt, this place is really amazing, it's amazing, have a nice day my brother ♥️🙏
Adoré las fotos. Gracias por compartir.
How many emotions you must have felt being there!
Delegations welcome! You've been curated by @amazingdrinks!
I can't believe the building with stone like that is not completely dark! The stone material has good reflection of lightHello @ewkaw
Thank you for sharing 😊
Greetings
Greetings. Nice photographic captures of the figures posing inside the enclosure. Devotion, once again, is an inescapable part of humanity.
It really is a very busy place. Then they look at you or they look at the garden and the dead people below could pull you up by your feet. 😅
I am interested in going to places such as this. It gives me thrill to see the old figures or statues, and the overall architectural design with the use of limestone foundation is awesome. It makes me feel that I am in a different era. I can only just imagine how the monks looked like when they voted in this room or had their meetings here.
If there wasn't so much light, I would think that this is a hall underground... With those magnificent ceilings, it reminds me of a cave... Have no idea why and how, but it gives me that sensation...
Sculptures give the image of the past as we can easily imagine monks in the room, speaking about the issues and uncertainty of the future... 🙂
I have picked this post on behalf of the @OurPick project! Check out our Reading Suggestions Posts!
Please consider voting for our Liotes HIVE Witness. Thank you!
I loved this monastery and the beautiful statues it has.
!pimp
Really interested in visiting places like this
Lot of untold stories
Thanks for sharing
!PIZZA
Those statues are really impressive!
Wow! The Monastery has extraordinary limestone architecture, and the ceilings create a sense of waves. The statues showcase intricate details and a sense of devotion that adds a sacred atmosphere to the area.