Monastery of Alcobaça


World Heritage Identification Number: 505

World Heritage since: 1989

Category: Cultural Heritage

Transboundary Heritage: No

Endangered Heritage: No

Country: 🇵🇹 Portugal

Continent: Europe

UNESCO World Region: Europe and North America

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The Monastery of Alcobaça: A Masterpiece of Cistercian Gothic Art

The Monastery of Alcobaça, officially known as the Monastery of Santa Maria d'Alcobaça, is a remarkable example of Cistercian Gothic architecture that stands proudly in the heart of Portugal. This historic monument, located approximately 120 kilometers north of Lisbon and 110 kilometers south of Coimbra, was founded in the 12th century by King Alfonso I, making it one of the most significant historical sites in the country.

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UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site

The Monastery of Santa Maria d'Alcobaça, north of Lisbon, was founded in the 12th century by King Alfonso I. Its size, the purity of its architectural style, the beauty of the materials and the care with which it was built make this a masterpiece of Cistercian Gothic art.

Encyclopedia Record: Alcobaça Monastery

The Alcobaça Monastery or Alcobasa Monastery is a Catholic monastic complex located in the town of Alcobaça, in central Portugal, 120 km (75 mi) north of Lisbon and 110 km (68 mi) south of Coimbra.

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Additional Site Details

Area: Not available

UNESCO Criteria: (i) — Masterpiece of human creative genius
(iv) — Outstanding example of a type of building or landscape

Coordinates: 39.55 , -8.97667

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Image of Monastery of Alcobaça

© Alvesgaspar, CC BY-SA 4.0 Resized from original. (This derivative is under the same CC BY-SA license.)

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Country Information: Portugal

Flag of Portugal

Official Name: Portuguese Republic

Capital: Lisbon

Continent: Europe

Population (2024): 10,701,636

Population (2023): 10,578,174

Population (2022): 10,434,332

Land Area: 91,610 sq km

Currency: Euro (EUR)

Country Data Sources

Last updated: January 18, 2026

Portions of the page Monastery of Alcobaça are based on data from UNESCO — World Heritage List Dataset and on text from the Wikipedia article Alcobaça Monastery, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Changes made. Additional original content by World Heritage Explorer (WHE), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. WHE is not affiliated with UNESCO or the World Heritage Committee. Legal Notice. Privacy Policy.

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