About a 1-hour-and-40-minute drive from Lisbon, the Monastery of Batalha once again has one of its most famous spaces free of construction work. The Imperfect Chapels—the pantheon that was left forever without a roof—have completed a year of conservation and restoration, and visitors to the monument, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983, can once again explore them without construction in the way.
A Year of Construction Work on the Imperfect Chapels
SAPO reports that, according to the Portuguese Museums and Monuments Institute, the work took place between August 2025 and August 2026 and cost approximately 885,000 euros, funded by the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR). The focus was on the stone—from the structure itself to the joints between the blocks and the carved details that decorate the chapels. The completion of the work was marked by a free concert held inside the chapels themselves.
This was not the only recent project. According to the *Diário de Leiria*, the monastery has received three PRR-funded projects over the past two years, totaling 1.875 million euros, which also included the roof of the Chapter House and the 16th-century stained-glass windows.
The History of the Monastery of Batalha
A Promise Tied to Aljubarrota
The official name is the Monastery of Santa Maria da Vitória, and the victory in question is that of Aljubarrota on August 14, 1385. According to tradition, King João I made a vow to the Virgin Mary and, after defeating the Castilian troops, fulfilled it by building a monastery about two kilometers from the battlefield. Construction began in 1388. The king later handed it over to the Dominican friars, who remained there until the dissolution of the religious orders in 1834.
More than 150 years of construction
Construction lasted more than a century and a half and passed through several hands, which explains the mix of styles. The first master builder was Afonso Domingues; he was followed by Huguet, who introduced the Flamboyant Gothic style; and, in the early 16th century, Mateus Fernandes left his mark with the Manueline style. In addition to the church and the cloisters, the monastery houses two royal pantheons designed for the House of Avis: the Founder’s Chapel and the Unfinished Chapels.
The chapels that never had a roof
Construction of the Imperfect Chapels began around 1434, commissioned by King Duarte, son of King João I, who intended them to serve as a pantheon. The work spanned several generations of kings and resulted in a Manueline portal by Mateus Fernandes, but it was never completed: the octagonal structure remains roofless, with the sky serving as its vault—one of the details that most surprises visitors.
Useful Information
Address: Largo Infante D. Henrique, Batalha
Hours: April 1 through October 15, 9:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. (last admission at 6:00 p.m.); October 16 through March 31, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (last admission at 5:30 p.m.)
Tickets: €15 (regular ticket), available for purchase at the online ticket office of Museus e Monumentos de Portugal
Don’t miss out! Follow us onFacebook,Instagram, and now onWhatsApp too!