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Pousada de Guimarães
- Santa Marinha
Return to Guimarães Hotels / Pousadas of Porto & Northern Portugal Pousada de Santa Marinha At about 1km from the city centre of Guimarães, home town of Portugal, the Pousada de Santa Marinha, proud and majestic being a relic of the golden times when a Monastery, is located on an hillside overlooking the dazzling valley and the city. This temple devoted to Christian religion, probably dates back from the beginning of the Christian Reconquest (by the end of the IX century). The circumstances of the original occupation, of the Monastery, are still unknown. Could it have token place before the Arabic conquest? Some elements from the late-roman were already identified. It is also known that an invasion of Guimarães by “pagans”, between the year 959 and 968, brought some important repairs and fortifications work; hence, it might have been served as a fortress during the disturbed times of Almansor campaigns. According to an old tradition,
the Monastery have been donated by D. Mafalda (wife of D. Afonso Henriques
- first king of Portugal) to the canons of Saint Augustin order (1154).
Its function would be related to a vow made by D. Mafalda in honour to
the virgin and martyr Santa Marinha, saint advocate of parturient women.
A few architectural elements from the pre-roman period have survived, however some decorative fragments have been found. The most important is the foundation of a tower with a typically Moorish-Arabic door. This door is well preserved and positioned at the Northwest corner of the cloister, which is, in itself, a masterpiece of elegance, serenity and harmony. It was once the main entrance to the Monastery, original door, charmingly simple, of a great architectural interest, owing to the purity of its lines and good taste of its ornamentation, it is now the most perfect Moorish-Arabic element among the few ones still existing in Portugal. Several signs of the Romanesque, Gothic and Classic architecture can bee seen over the main building, living documents that date back to the 7th century. In 1951, the big east wing underwent an enormous fire, nothing but the Chapter Hall and the Frei Jerónimo veranda has been saved. This fire destroyed forever a patrimony of incommensurable value, especially the rich and large set of azulejos (glazed tiles) panels covering the walls of the big gallery where now the sleeping-rooms are (corresponding to the former cells of the monks). This are not ordinary azulejos, the background is blue instead of the drawings, in white and gold. The lost azulejos and the remaining ones do not represent saints’ virtues or miracles, showing war and society scenes with no religious ideology. Was more important the decorative power of the azulejos than the themes. Dated from 1747, the azulejos represent a beautiful set of pictures of the life in Portugal in the 18th century: banquets, shepherds, elephant and wild boar hunting, games, concerts, fishing practices, and the classic theatre. Remarkable of their characteristic and movement, these azulejos cover the staircase that leads to the Chapter Hall, the Chapter Hall, and the Frei Jerónimo veranda. There are also other charming points, like the superb gardens, to be counted among the best Portuguese’s gardens. A magnificent stone staircase and an artificial lake can be found among the trees. The Frei Feronimo’s balcony is a real open-air hall. The church, with its remarkable set of religious sculpture works and important ornamentation consisting of golden and polychromatic wood-carving works, a museum that possesses some good paintings and extraordinary furniture. The Augustin monks have built a set consisting of four wings, including the church, surrounding the cloister. The building didn’t suffer any important changes until the Jeronimus Fathers occupied the existing monastery. But the difficulties that the religious orders had to face lead the building to private property in 1834. In 1972 the state acquire it and rebuilding works and construction of new areas, according to a project that aimed at the transformation of this building into a hotel unit, began by the end of the 70’s. The grounds of the ancient monastery of Santa Marinha da Costa lie in a small geographical shell crossed by a stream, on the west face of Penha Mountain, overlooking the city of Guimarães. It hosts a rare combination of plants and trees, including species of note, in addition to the architecture accumulated over the years, creating a particularly interesting landscape. In essence, the grounds consist of a garden of box hedges, in the lower part, several groves of leafy trees lining the main paths and upper flight of steps, a number of copses in various places, whilst a small oak wood, which includes many noteworthy wild shrubs and herbaceous plants, occupies the upper level. Water from an underground spring, located inside the grounds, flows into a circular tank at the top of the garden, as well as a restored mill. Whilst blending in very well with the natural surroundings, it also reflects man’s continual efforts. The relationship with the ancient monastery building suggests a balancing act between man and nature, complementing each other in Baroque style. The grounds appear to be a fresh, leafy island, forming a special place, of which we must take full advantage. History of Guimarães: Although is essentially a mediaeval town, Guimarães has its origins in the distant 10th century. It was at this time that the Countess Mumadona Dias, widow of Hemengildo Mendes ordered the construction of a monastery which became the focal point for a settlement. For its defence she ordered a Castle to be built on a hill a short distance away, thus creating a second nucleus of development. A street grew-up linking one to the other - the Santa Maria Road. Later the monastery acquired
great importance due to the privileges and donations bestowed on it by
kings and nobility. It became a famous centre for pilgrimage attracting
the prayers and promises of the faithful drawn from all quarters.
Although there would still be the construction of some churches, monasteries and palaces and the creation of the Misericordia Square (now João Franco Square) , its alignment would not be significantly altered. It was from the end of the 19th century, with the advent of new ideas on public health and town planning, that Guimarães, raised to the status of city in 1853 by Queen D. Maria II, would undergo major changes. The demolition of the city walls was authorised and encouraged. New squares such as Largo de Carmo (today Martins Sarmento square) and Largo Condessa de Juncal were opened, as well as new streets and avenues. Later the Colina da Fundação was landscaped and the Alameda was created. However, almost everything was done in harmony with the conservation of its historic town heart. Pousadas by Region:
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