The Church of St Clare in Porto
Franciscans and Poor Clares have played an important role in Lusitanian culture: after all, the Portuguese Franciscans were among the first to set out on the great journeys around the world and, of course, where the Franciscans arrived, so did the Poor Clares, the nuns founded by St Clare of Assisi.
In Porto this was no exception and even today we can admire the beautiful church dedicated to St Clare with its convent. The church was built in 1416 during the reign of John I and his sons Ferdinand and Alfonso, who followed the wishes of their recently deceased mother, Queen Philippa of Lancaster, who had taken to heart the wishes of the Poor Clares who did not live in Porto and asked to be moved there for safety reasons.
Visit the church of the Poor Clare nuns in Porto
Unfortunately, the Poor Clares were also caught up in the persecution under the liberal revolution in the 19th century and were forced to close, leaving the convent, which became state property. Today, the church and sacristy can be visited and are a splendid example of Portuguese Baroque, perhaps among the finest examples of Porto remaining today. Arriving at the Church of St Clare of Porto, one passes under a small arch that slightly hides the church and its façade. Upon entering, one can immediately see the façade with two niches and sculptures of St Clare and St Francis, with the old Gothic door dating back to John I next to it.
In contrast, the convent door dates from more recent times and is of Baroque inspiration dating back to 1697. The church inside is a small masterpiece of gilded carvings from the first half of the 18th century by the great master carver Miguel Francisco da Silva. Particularly noteworthy is the high choir of St. Clare, perhaps one of the most prestigious masterpieces in the city of Oporto, where one can observe the monastic stalls in Baroque style, richly decorated with gold leaf. The choir is also composed in the lower part by seats for the nuns, in the middle part by niches and sculptures, and finally in the upper part by a rich decoration in the typical blue and white majolica tiles known as azulejos.
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