Quinta das Lágrimas is a romantic estate located in Coimbra. It is known for its beautiful gardens and its tragic history.
The estate was originally a hunting ground for the Portuguese royal family. In the 14th century, it became the setting for the forbidden love affair between Prince Pedro and Inês de Castro. The king, Pedro's father, disapproved of the relationship and had Inês murdered. According to legend, Inês's tears turned to blood and stained the ground where she was killed. This is why the estate is called Quinta das Lágrimas, which means "Estate of Tears" in Portuguese.
The palace was built on the site later. In 1879, a fire occurred and the palace was rebuilt. Today it is a hotel and houses a museum that displays artifacts related to the tragic love story of Pedro and Inês. Its gardens, with a rich variety of plants and reliefs, remain beautiful and invite you to pleasant moments. The fountain in the gardens is called Fonte das Lágrimas, which is said to be made from the tears of Inês de Castro.
Are you interested in knowing more about this story surrounding Quinta das Lágrimas? If so, keep listening to this audio, as it will be about that.
The forbidden love affair between Prince Pedro and Inês de Castro is one of the most famous love stories in Portuguese history.
Pedro was the son of King Afonso IV of Portugal and Queen Beatriz of Castile. Inês was a Galician noblewoman who came to Portugal as a lady-in-waiting to Pedro's first wife, Constança of Castile. Pedro and Inês fell in love and began a secret relationship.
In 1345, Constança died giving birth to their son, João. Pedro and Inês began living together openly as husband and wife. King Afonso disapproved of the relationship because he did not want his son to marry a Galician noblewoman. He also feared that Inês was too powerful and could influence Pedro's decisions. King Afonso banished Inês from court. Once the romance continued, in 1355, King Afonso had Inês murdered by a group of his men. Pedro was devastated by her death and vowed to avenge her.
When Pedro became king in 1357, he had the men who murdered Inês executed. He also had her body exhumed and brought to the royal court. He forced the court to kiss her hands and swear allegiance to her as queen.
Pedro then had Inês's body buried in the Royal Monastery of Alcobaça, next to the tomb of his father. He also had a magnificent tomb built for her, which is still there today.
The love story of Pedro and Inês has been the subject of many poems, plays, and operas. It is a story of forbidden love, tragic loss, and undying devotion.
