Batalha Monastery
Individual ticket: €6.
World Heritage Ticket (Alcobaça, Batalha, Convent of Christ): €15 - valid for 7 days.
Special ticket:
- Visitors aged 65 or over (duly identified) - 50%.
- Student card and ISIC card: 50%.
- Family Ticket (1 or 2 adults + minimum 2 children (or equivalent) under 18 years old) - 50%, subject to documentary proof.
- Large Family (2 adults+ children) -50% - upon presentation of a document issued by the Portuguese Association of Large Families.
- Youth Card and IYTC card: 50%.
- Protocols with third parties - 20%.
IMPORTANT TIPS
WHAT TO SEE
It is one of the most beautiful monasteries in Portugal and has a lot of history involved. When visiting the monastery you can see the tombs of several Portuguese kings and the imperfect chapel, an unfinished work to this day!
HISTORY
Batalha Monastery or Santa Maria da Vitória
Built in 1386 by King D. João I as thanks to the Virgin Mary for the victory against the Castilians in the battle of Aljubarrota
From 1383 to 1835 it was a period of civil war in Portugal as there was no king in power
In 1383, before he died, King D. Fernando I offered his daughter to marry D. João I of Castile as a strategic matter for the future kingdom. However, it was a solution that was frowned upon by the Portuguese because of the risk of losing Portuguese independence.
As the people did not want the Queen married to the king of another country, the master of Avis (D. Fernando's brother) declared himself King of Portugal. That's why the king of Castile invaded PT, to defend the reign of Queen D. Beatriz.
With the Defeat of King D. João I of Castile, D. João I of Portugal consolidated himself as king, thus starting a new dynasty.
The results of the battle of Aljubarrota were:
End of the crisis from 1383 to 1385
Consolidation of D. João I, starting the second Portuguese dynasty (AVIS)
Innovative military tactics (Castilians were more numerous)
Strengthening the diplomatic alliance between Portugal and England.
The battle was in Aljubarrota because PT wanted to avoid the conflict in Lisbon.
Legend of the Aljubarrota baker
She was ugly, had 6 fingers on her hands, a prostitute and liked to fight.
She would have killed, with a shovel, 7 Castilians who were hiding in an oven
The statue in front is of Nuno Alvares Pereira, Army general in that battle.
D. Fernando II carried out major renovations in 1840, including destroying some monastic rooms.
