ITINERARY 2 - BATALHA


08.00 am -
Departure to Batalha Way out from the top of Parque Eduardo VII, Lisbon

10.00 am -
Batalha Monastery visit

The Batalha Monastery is the most striking symbol of the Avis Dynasty. It is the result of a vow made to the Virgin by King John I after beating the Castilian army at the Battle of Aljubarrota (1385). Works started one year later under the Portuguese architect Afonso Domingos, many of the church structures and the two wings on the main cloister being his work. The project underwent a radical change in 1402. A foreign architect, who may have come from Catalonia, Master Huguet, led the building works and gave the Monastery a Flamboyant Gothic style. This new phase is apparent in the church vaulting, the Chapter-House dome, the Capela do Fundador (Founder's Chapel) and also in the beginning of the construction of the Capelas Imperfeitas (Imperfect Chapels). The construction of the "afonsine" Gothic Cloister of King Afonso V, of restrained look, in the mid-15th century, by the architect Fernão de Évora, was a reaction against the exuberance of the Flamboyant Gothic style. During King Manuel's reign the windows of the cloister galleries were closed and the works in the Imperfect Chapels were retaken. This project went on until the third decade of the 16th century, and the style reflects the Italian Renaissance; however, it was suddenly abandoned because of the demands made by other royal buildings then being built in the country.

12.00 am -
Batalha departure.

01.30 pm -
Lunch at "Aldeia de Santo Antão" restaurant

03.00 pm -
Departure to Alcobaça panoramic view

05.00 pm -
HEP 2005 Conference and dinner at Mafra Convent

Mafra Convent: Built by command of Dom John V, the Mafra Convent is the most important monument of the Portuguese Baroque. The architectural ensemble develops symmetrically from a central axis, the Basilica, acting as the central point of a lengthy façade flanked by two turrets; at the rear of the Basilica, the monastery of the Ordem de São Francisco da Província da Arrábida (the Franciscan monks of Arrábida Order) stands. A German goldsmith, João Frederico Ludovice, who studied architecture in Italy, was commissioned to lead the works. He adopted a classical Baroque model, inspired by the papal Rome, showing the influence of Bernini and Borromini elements, namely in the towers, and also some German flavour. The works started in 1717, when the first stone was laid and, on October 22nd, 1730, the king's 41st birthday, the Basilica was solemnly consecrated. The Palace-Convent possesses one of the most important Portuguese libraries, with some 40,000 volumes, and numerous artistic works ordered by the monarch from Portugal, France, Flanders (the two carillons with 92 bells) and in Italy. Inácio de Oliveira Bernardes, Masucci Giaquinto, Lironi or Ludovisi are some of the masters that took part in this "joanine" workshop. During the reign of Dom José (18th century) the Mafra School of Sculpture was even founded, led by the Italian master Alessandro Giuti, which produced such important sculptors as Machado de Castro. In King John VI's reign the Palace was inhabited for a complete year in 1807 before the Court's departure to Brazil. A decorative refurbishing in some of the most important rooms, took place then, after the projects made by well-known artists such as Ciryllo Wolkmar Machado, Domingos Sequeira or Vieira Lusitano. Most of the time, however, the Palace-Convent was only sporadically visited by the royal family and the same occurred after the Court's return to Portugal. It was from this Palace that the last king of Portugal, Dom Manuel II, left for exile on October 5th, 1910, following the proclamation of the Republic.

11.00 pm -
Return to Lisbon to the departure place. Arrival at 12.00 pm

Organized by
Webmasters: João Martins, José Aparício

Last modified: Mon Mar 6 11:39:05 UTC 2006