Date of visit: 27 April 2017 overnight, 28 April 2017 morning
The journey continues from western Spain to Portugal, heading to Porto and then south from there. We are getting closer to Lisbon. From Coimbra to the south, I decided to stay in a small town called Batalha this day.
Stay in a hotel right in front of
The hotel in Batalha was already arranged the day before at a hotel in Coimbra. Even though the hotel is right in front of the monastery, the price is very reasonable, about 40 euros. And it looks like it was recently renovated, so very clean and comfortable!
泊まったホテル（Booking.com）：Hotel Lis Batalha Mestre Afonso Domingues
However, parking was not free. It was treated as normal street parking, i.e. parking meter system. However, in many places in Europe, it is free from 6:00 in the evening to 8:00 in the morning of the next day. Since we usually leave the city first thing in the morning, it is practically free, but we had to remember to issue a ticket in the morning because we were leaving the city after sightseeing the next morning. I forgot the detailed price, but I felt it was more expensive than I thought.
So this is really a sight in front of me, but I’ll see it again tomorrow.
The restaurant attached to the hotel was also not bad. It was not so good.
But the port wine was good! But unlike Porto, there is a charge.
By the way, this city, or is it a city, Battaglia, is a city because of this historic monastery, and to be honest, there are only hotels and restaurants around the monastery. It’s a village. I guess that’s partly why the hotels are so cheap.
Sightseeing first thing in the morning the next day
Next morning, I visited Battaglia Monastery right in front of the hotel. A group of people came from nowhere, but I was still the first to arrive.
A brief history of this place. The construction of the monastery began in 1386. The construction was started by King João I of Portugal to thank the Virgin Mary for the victory over the Castilian army at the Battle of Aljubarrota, near Batalha. The construction lasted two centuries.
It has been selected as a World Heritage Site, but its registration was in 1983, so it can be called a long-established World Heritage Site.
First of all, the most impressive thing is the Cathedral, which symbolizes the whole building, and this is free. This is also where the tombs of the kings of Portugal and their royal families are located.
First of all, on the left side of the entrance, there is the Chapel of the Founders. Here is the most central tomb of João I, whose name is mentioned many times during our trip to Portugal, and the tomb of
Around it are the tombs of Prince Enrique the Navigator and others. I saw the actual object itself as it was around, but I don’t have any pictures because I didn’t understand what it meant there. Bummer!!!
This chapel seems to be famous as a masterpiece of late Gothic architecture in Portugal. I’ve seen many cathedrals in my travels in Europe, but this cathedral is especially beautiful.
To enter the monastery, you have to pay the entrance fee at the right side of the cathedral entrance. I didn’t get any brochure. Inside the monastery, first of all, you have to enter from the left back entrance of the cathedral. The first thing you will see is the “Claustro Real” (King’s Cloister).
The cloister, which is a beautiful combination of Manueline and Gothic styles, is very beautiful and the sight is impressive.
There is a scourge meeting room in the place facing that corridor. An active soldier is guarding it, but the guard is an unknown soldier according to the guidebook, and I thought it was a little ostentatious, but I could feel the sacred air.
After passing through the King’s Gallery, there is a souvenir shop and museum on the left, which used to be a restaurant.
And further in, you will see the “Cloister of Alfonso V”. To be honest, this place was ordinary.
After that, the highlight is the unfinished chapel. You have to leave the monastery from the back of Alfonso V’s cloister to get there. It is very gorgeous and magnificent, but it is unfinished without a ceiling.
I had wanted to visit Butteria nine years ago, and I was so excited to finally have my wish come true.
The next stop is Alcobaça, not far from here, another World Heritage Site. (To be continued)
