Convento de Santa Clara-a-Nova
On the left bank of the Mondego, on a hill with commanding views over the city, is the New Convent of St. Clara. Its gold-covered baroque interior is one of the best examples of talho dourado, the Portuguese art form that involves covering intricate carved wood work in gold leaf. It surrounds a silver casket holding the remains of St. Elizabeth of Aragon, a 13th-century queen of Portugal revered for her work helping the poor and peacemaking between Spain and Portugal. There's a small museum dedicated to the saint and a peaceful double decked renaissance cloister. In 2016, plans were announced to turn adjoining buildings once used as military barracks into a luxury hotel.
On the left bank of the Mondego, on a hill with commanding views over the city, is the New Convent of St. Clara. Its gold-covered baroque interior is one of the best examples of talho dourado, the Portuguese art form that involves covering intricate carved wood work in gold leaf. It surrounds a silver casket holding the remains of St. Elizabeth of Aragon, a 13th-century queen of Portugal revered for her work helping the poor and peacemaking between Spain and Portugal. There's a small museum dedicated to the saint and a peaceful double decked renaissance cloister. In 2016, plans were announced to turn adjoining buildings once used as military barracks into a luxury hotel.
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