I visited Portugal in May 2018 and Alcobaça was the first of three WHS of the monastery hotspot in the Centro region. I stayed overnight in Alcobaça and was the first and only one at the entrance to the monastery on a Sunday morning at 9 am. At the ticket counter I was recommended to visit the church first, because there would be a mass at 11 am. For about 15 minutes I had this huge nave all to myself, a wonderful atmosphere. The church emanates a simple elegance, there is only little decoration, all in line with the spiritual view of the Cistercian order. The interior is impressive by its size, I was surprised to read that it is the largest Portuguese church. Most striking are the shrines of Inês de Castro (photo) and King Pedro I in the transept. Their tragic love story is very popular in Portugal and inspired numerous works of literature and music. The reliefs on the tomb of Pedro show scenes from their lives. The tomb of Ines is carried by sculptures that are supposed to depict her three murderers.

Only a part of the monastery is open to visitors, mainly the rooms around the oldest cloister, the Claustro de Silencio. Coming from the church, you first enter the Room of the Kings decorated with white-and-blue tiles. Other highlights are the refectory, the chapter house and the monastery kitchen with its huge chimney and a large water basin, part of an elaborated system for water supply: water was diverted from the river Alcoa and filled the basin via a pipeline under the kitchen floor, a second pipeline transported drinking water from a natural spring into the basins along the wall.
Alcobaça is often regarded as the least impressive and least rewarding site of the three WHS monasteries. I do not agree with that, I like this architecture:  the clear lines, the rather plain pillars and arches, the sparing use of decorative elements. That only intensifies the impression that all the rooms are a bit oversized for their purpose, in particular the height. Certainly a intended effect. The architecture is an expression of the ideals of the Cistercians: modesty and humility, life was dedicated to the service to God. Thus, Alcobaça should rather be compared with Maulbronn in Germany or Poblet in Spain.

After visiting the monastery, I went to the church again, the service was still going on, but the church was less than half full. One last view along the huge nave, then I continued with my monastery triple pack and went to Batalha.