Santo Tirso - Convento de Sao Bento

Santo Tirso's most important building is the Convent of Sao Bento, now containing an agricultural college. The Benedictines founded a convent here in the 10th century. The present building, with its impressive Baroque facade, dates from the 14th to 18th centuries. The church is richly decorated with talha dourada and sculpture. There is also a beautiful two story cloister (14th-17th centuries), with fine capitals. The adjoining little Abade Pedrosa museum has prehistoric and medieval archeological displays. A reddish granite calvary stands in front of the church.