The Monastery of Santa Clara-a-Nova

Perched high above the Santa Clara district, the Monastery of Santa Clara-a-Nova was built between 1648 and 1696 to replace Santa Clara-a-Velha, which had suffered repeated flooding from the Rio Mondego. On the day the new monastery was inaugurated, a grand procession was held to escort the Poor Clare nuns to their new home. Much larger than its predecessor, though by no means flashy, the Baroque building stands out thanks to its single nave, crowned with a magnificent coffered ceiling, but its true highlight is the main chapel. More than just a space for prayer, the chapel offers visitors a remarkable sight: a 17th-century silver and crystal urn containing the incorrupt body of Saint Isabel of Aragon, Queen consort of Portugal, who died in 1336 and later brought here from the former Monastery of Santa Clara-a-Velha.