A stunning 15th century church with amazing gilded woodcarvings

In Porto, the second largest city in Portugal, I walked past a white, rather simple looking building many times. The outside did not impress, so I didn't check out the church before my last day in Porto. The Igreja de Santa Clara do Porto has one of the most stunning interiors, and is one of the most important examples of Gothic and Baroque architecture in Porto. It is also among the largest excamples of gilded woodwork you will find in Portugal. This church was once part of a former monestary for women of the Order of the Poor Clares. The history of the monastic complex dates back to the year 1416, but the monestary closed down in 1900. The remarkable gilded woodwork is among the finest work of the Portuguese Baroque.

We entered through this beautiful portal that dates back to the 15th century. The courtyard shows two doors. The one on the left is the one the congregation goes through and the small one in front of us was for the nuns. Once we entered that door, we came into a visitor reception area. This is where we bought our entrance tickets. This door was once the door into the convent. From this room the nuns could enter or leave the dormitories and the cloister. But these doors ar now boarded up.

We contined into a small room that was quite empty except for some paintings. Through a frame of wooden lattice, we could look into the church. When we entered through a small door, I went wow!! It was stunning. You actually just stand their in awe. After a littel while of just standing there to ake it all inn, I did take a walk along the walls. I had to look up on to the ceiling too, to admire the exquisite woodwork. It is impressive.

Note the wooden lattice work further up the wall, beneath the windows. Behind there is a corridor where the nuns could stay, without being seen. They could, among other things, stand here to sing and the congregation below would get the feeling that it was the angels singing (according to a guide/ security gaurd on the second floor)

The history of Santa Clara

In 1405 the pope gave the authorization to the nuns to move into the Monastery of Santa Clara, whic h was located within the walled city ( today you can still see parts of the city wall). The building process started in 1416 and by 1457 the contruction was compleated. All the years up until 1834 the monastery excisted. One year later, in 1835 one of the ministers of the Kingdom decided that religious orders should be abolished. This didn't happen right away. The nuns were allowed to sty until the last one of them died. The church parish was granted the church in 1895 and could now use it for worship. The last nun died in 1900. This meant the end of the convent. It closed.

During the 600 years of Santa Clara, the church has undergone both changes and restorations several times. It was during the 18th century that the church was decorated all over with the carved and gilded woodwork we can see here today. This woodwork is considered to be among some of the most important workd of the Oporto School of Wood Carvers. The most resent restoration work was done between 2016 and 2021. In a small room watch a film that shows in detail how all the carvings and paintings have been painstakingly restored. An incredibly fine piece of work that has taken timehave, But the result is impressive!

Through the lattice work the nuns could look at the congregation, but without having contact. The first photo shows the openening between the church and the small room behind. The second was taken in the second floor.

Santa Clara

A small room with the choirs stalls and a small organ. But the small door is the one that leads to the corridors where the nuns would sing and the organ. It is not so easy to see on my photo, but to the left is the organ. To make symetry there is an organ on the right side as well, but this one i silent. It was the security guard standing in this room who pointed this out.

What a church and what a history! This visit was definitely one of the highlight of my visit to Porto.