I was browsing through some old photos and discovered a set from a visit to the fascinating Cork Convent of Capuchos we visited near Lisbon, Portugal, in 2019. Eight monks established this winding, cramped religious complex in 1560. Tucked away from the world, its walls, doors, and windows are all lined with cork as a natural insulation
History of the Cork Convent
The tale of its founding (because of course there’s always a tale) was that it was inspired by João de Castro. He was hunting in the mountains of Sintra, got lost chasing a deer, and fell asleep against a rock. In his dream, he received a divine revelation to build a Christian temple on the site. And being a man with the means to do so, he did. And so the Convent of Capuchos was built.
After religious orders in Portugal disappeared, the convent fell into disrepair. In 1949 the government bought it, but only repaired in fits and starts. It lost many treasures in a burglary in 1998.
New beginnings
It re-opened in 2001, after further conservation efforts. The building were built as part of nature even before it was abandoned. Greenery has started to reclaim it. The dwellings slot into and around boulders, trees, and hedgerows. You wander through them like a maze, stooping beneath low doorways, and into dark, cold rooms, lit by modern strings of LED lights.
The building is somewhat off the beaten track, and we were the only ones there aside from some people working in the gardens below. The place felt as if it had slipped in from another world. It was easy to picture the inhabitants working in solitude, barely seeing anyone from outside for weeks at a time, living peacefully. I could imagine this place popping up in high fantasy or an historical epic.
What do you think? Please share in the comments.
21/02/2022 at 8:30 AM
Interesting history. The convent looks ethereal and spooky at the same time. Nice share.
22/02/2022 at 7:06 PM
Thanks, it definitely had atmosphere.