Pousada Santa Marinha

The history of the Santa Marinha da Costa monastery in the northern Portuguese city of Guimarães began in the 9th century with the construction of a small basilica on the slopes of Monte Penha, which has been considered a sacred site since time immemorial. As early as the 6th and 7th centuries, religious services were held here during the Roman occupation. In the 10th century, the Galician countess commissioned the building of a monastery, which was later enlarged by the Portuguese queen. In the 16th century, the Duke of Bragança established a theological university in the monastery. The monastery continued to grow until it reached its peak in the 18th century. After the end of the civil war in 1834, when religious orders were abolished, the monastery was sold at a public auction and changed ownership several times, being used as a private residence by various families. To prevent the monastery from falling into disrepair, the Portuguese state purchased it in the second half of the 20th century and converted it into a pousada (a chain of luxury hotels located in historic buildings. The institution was founded in 1941 by the Portuguese state and operated until 2003). The renovation of the monastery and its conversion into a hotel was entrusted to the renowned architect Fernando Távora, who adhered to the principle of renewal and addition during this task. In his design, Távora was guided by the belief that an ensemble that has developed over eleven centuries can continue to be successfully used for centuries to come. In this spirit, the most important historical rooms were preserved and renovated, and additional spaces for new functions (e.g., garages or a swimming pool) were added. Two new buildings with an L-shaped footprint overlooking the valley precede the historic building. Between the historic monastery and the corner of the new building, there is a green courtyard and a paved square. Under the paved square are some supplementary functions of the hotel. The added wing houses additional hotel rooms, which are generously glazed towards the valley. The reddish-brown (red mixed with ferric oxide) painted lattice windows create a striking element of the entire composition. Fernando Távora sought to establish a dialogue between the old and the new, between the monastery and the accommodation, between austerity and comfort, or between function and beauty with the extensions. He placed great emphasis on continuity and avoided excessive contrasts. Nevertheless, the newly added parts of the buildings bear a contemporary signature. The scale and character of the existing building were preserved. The irreplaceable past was maintained so that the original significance and historical development of the monastery would not be disrupted. Both the old and new buildings complement each other in dialogue, resulting in a synthetic whole.