Alcobaca, Pedro and Ines

After Batalha we drove on to another famous church, the 
Cistercian monastery and church at Alcobaca. And the 
story of Pedro and Ines. Above, the beautiful tile facade 
on a building facing the huge monastery; one sees this 
sort of thing all over the Portugal we have seen so far

And behind the innocent-looking baroque

facade lurks

A really, really, severe gothic building,

Cistercian-severe; but beautiful in its way,

and imposingly large

Alcobaca is best known as the resting place of King Pedro

and not-quite-Queen Ines; Prince Pedro loved Ines, but his

dad, the king, disapproved and had her killed; when Pedro

became king somewhat later, he had her exhumed and

made all the former king's ministers and courtiers kiss

her dead hand; now that's devotion (on their part); the 
right two panels of Pedro's tomb, above, depict the flaying 
of St. Bartholomew and then someone carrying his skin off 
to some further nasty doing; it was a cruel age

Ines' tomb; she and Pedro are buried feet-to-feet so that, on

the day of resurrection, when they arise, the first thing they

will see is each other; sweet....

Side-aisle; really severe