The Monastery of Santa Cruz has had its historical importance preserved under the status of national pantheon. In the main chapel of the church of the monastery are the tombs of the first two kings of Portugal: Dom Afonso Henriques and Dom Sancho I.
The history of the monastery is related to the history of the seat of the kingdom itself.
At the beginning of the twelfth century, during the formation of the Portuguese kingdom, Coimbra was an urban centre very close to the north border of the Islamic territory, which made it an important tactical position for the expansion of the kingdom. In turn, the Santa Cruz Monastery also played a strategic role in legitimising the Portuguese reign. Its support from the kingdom granted papal protection to Portugal. Also, the establishment of the royal residence next to the monastery reaffirmed the relation of Dom Afonso Henriques with the Church, as his divine right for the Portuguese crown.
The foundation of the Santa Cruz Monastery dates back to 1131. It was built next to the city wall, in a donated area formerly dedicated to royal baths. The tradition of educational excellence in Coimbra begins at the school of the monastery. Its most celebrated student was St. Anthony of Padua, born in Lisbon in 1195 and canonised in 1233, only a year after his death.
The church is open for visitation. The other spaces of the monastery require the purchase of tickets. It gives access to the chapter room, the cloister, and the sacristy.
