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Church of Santa Clara

The Church of Santa Clara belonged to a convent of Poor Clare nuns, settled here since the 15th century; the church was finished in 1457. It was built beside the most visible stretch of the Fernandine Wall, in the Sé district, near the cathedral and São Bento station. It has been a National Monument since 1910. Outside it is austere, with a Baroque doorway of 1697 remodelled in the 18th century. The interior is what sets it apart: almost all of it is covered in gilded woodcarving from the first half of the 18th century, in the Joanine Baroque style, with azulejo tiles in some areas. During the restoration from 2016 to 2021, 17th-century paintings on wood of saints, among them St Clare herself, a granite slab from 1645 and paintings of angels came to light beneath the carving. The convent was dissolved in the late 19th century with the death of the last nun.

Things to do at Church of Santa Clara: 3 missions

• Look at the Baroque doorway from outsideFrom Largo 1.º de Dezembro, look at the doorway of 1697 and compare its simplicity with the richness the interior holds.
• Take in the gilded carving insideStep into the nave and let your eyes run over the walls and vault covered in Joanine Baroque gilded carving. Look for the azulejo tiles set among the gold.
• Find the stretch of Fernandine Wall beside the churchWalk round the church and find the visible stretch of the Fernandine Wall that the church was built against. Look at the granite masonry.

Near Church of Santa Clara

Source: Wikipedia - Igreja de Santa Clara (Porto)