Paço de Sousa Monastery

The Benedictine Paço de Sousa Monastery is situated in Paço de Sousa, in the Penafiel department, on the northern region of the Country, and is classified as a National Monument, integrating the touristic-cultural Vale do Sousa Romanesque Route.

Founded in 962 by the Goth Knight Trutesindo Galindes, an ancestor of Egas Moniz (the preceptor of the first Portuguese King, D. Afonso Henriques), the monument was later rebuilt in the 13th century. Its architectonical style is situated in the transition from the Romanesque to the Gothic style, with a famous three nave Romanesque Church.

The set suffered several modifications and conservation works during the 11th, 13th, 18th and 20th centuries.

The Church façade presents proudly a Gothic portal with five archivolts and a famous rose window.
In the interior is situated the Egas Moniz tomb, with a small cooper box with its funeral ashes.

There are still some elements from the pre-Romanesque Temple, re-used in the Church and in the Cloister.

It is surely worth knowing one of the greatest Romanesque legacy in the North of Portugal, located in a great natural beauty site.