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Batalha, central Portugal

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Batalha in central Portugal is probably best known for the impressive and imposing Monastery which dominates the town's centre. The town was founded by King Joao I jointly with the Santa Maria da Vitoria na Batalha in the 14th century.

The monastery, which took over a century to construct, is one of the best examples in Portugal of late gothic architecture with a plethora of buttresses, spires and pinnacles. The monastery was damaged in the 1755 earthquake, but it was Napoleonic troops in the 19th century who sacked and ruined the building.

It was only thanks to Ferdinand II who ordered the restoration of the monastery. The restoration work lasted until the early 20th century and in 1907 it was declared a national monument and becoming a UNESCO listed site in 1983.

Without the monastery Batalha would perhaps have sunk from the history books without a trace. Unlike the neighbouring town of Alcobaça, which has thrived due to the edifice situated in the centre of it's town, Batalha only survives due to the architecture of the monastery.

The town square and the town's livelihood centres around the monastery with visitors from around the world making their way around the impressive building. Cafes and restaurants surround the footings and provide ideal locations to view the exterior of the massive religious feat of engineering.

Away from the town centre, Batalha is much like any other small town in Portugal. There are apartment buildings, mini-markets and cafes, though little else of interest to day trippers.

Map of Batalha

 
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