Mosteiro de Jesus

A fifteenth-century convent in Aveiro, home of Princess Saint Joana and now the city’s museum.

In the centre of Aveiro, the Mosteiro de Jesus is a convent of the fifteenth century that became the city’s museum. Here lived Princess Joana, daughter of King Afonso V, who took the veil in this house and was later made a saint — and her tomb and the convent’s gilded church are at the heart of any visit.

History and character

The convent was founded in the fifteenth century for the Dominican order, and Princess Joana entered it in the 1470s, refusing marriage to live in religious life. After the end of the convents in Portugal, the buildings were adapted to house the museum of Aveiro, which keeps the memory of the monastery and of the princess.

What to see

The church, with its gilded altars and choir.
The tomb of Princess Saint Joana, a masterpiece of Renaissance sculpture.
The cloisters and convent rooms of the museum.
The museum collections, with painting, sculpture and tiles.

Visiting

The convent stands in the centre of Aveiro, close to the cathedral and the canals, reached on foot from the main squares. The museum keeps its own hours and ticket; the church remains in religious use, and access may be limited during services.