Parques de Sintra restores old oven and two hermitages in the surroundings of the Convent of the Capuchos

The conservation and restoration project for the Convent of the Capuchos has entered a new phase during which Parques de Sintra is restoring the old oven, the Ecce Homo Chapel and the Crucified Lord Chapel, which are part of the convent enclosure. This intervention aims to restore the constructive, decorative, artistic and functional elements of these specific areas of the convent, such as floors; mortars/blocks and masonry; and wall coverings, including mural paintings and tiles, among other elements.

Respecting the identity and authenticity of the site, the work underway will make it possible to safeguard and enhance these areas of the Convent of the Capuchos, without interfering with the natural surroundings and landscape. The work is being carried out in phases and, in line with Parques de Sintra's "Open for Work" policy, is planned so that visitors can walk around and enjoy the convent grounds while the technicians work.

The old oven is located next to the cloister and is estimated to have been built after 1728. Iconography from the period shows a large structure, suggesting that, rather than simply an oven for baking bread made from the grains donated to the friars, the space was possibly a support kitchen or food storage area. It is the only room in the entire Convent of the Capuchos complex that has been practically destroyed, with only the ruins of a small oven and a few sections of wall remaining.

Along the recommended route through the woods surrounding the convent, visitors can find small places of devotion and meditation, such as the Ecce Homo Chapel, whose centrepiece is an image of Jesus Christ flaggelated, bound, with a crown of thorns on his head and a green reed in his hand to serve as a sceptre, as he was presented to the population by Pontius Pilate, saying ‘Ecce Homo’ (‘Behold the man’ in Latin). The interior walls are decorated with murals depicting the instruments of Christ's martyrdom and have a lower frieze of tiles dating from the 17th century. One of them bears a curious inscription referring to a British Royal Navy ship that passed through Portugal in the 19th century: HMS HERCULES.

The Crucified Lord Chapel is located between large cliffs in a secluded spot that is also a viewpoint from which we can also contemplate the Sintra Hills and the Atlantic Ocean. In the 18th century, this natural cave housed an image of Christ Crucified, but today only the remains of an old altar remain, which still shows traces of paintings that are probably contemporary with those found in the Ecce Homo Chapel.

The intervention in these three areas of the Convent of the Capuchos grounds, budgeted at around 120,000 euros, is expected to last until the end of May 2025.