Jardim da Manga, Renaissance garden at Santa Cruz Monastery, Coimbra, Portugal
Jardim da Manga is located within Santa Cruz Monastery and features a central octagonal dome resting on eight columns, surrounded by four small chapels and rectangular pools arranged in a mirror-like pattern. The entire layout combines geometric shapes with flowing water to create a balanced whole.
King John III commissioned this garden in 1533, sketching his cloister design on his sleeve as the original plan. This spontaneous concept was then built by craftsmen and architects into the stone structure that remains today.
The layout follows Christian belief, with four water channels representing the rivers of Paradise spreading toward all cardinal directions. This religious meaning shapes the entire space and makes it feel like a spiritual place.
The grounds are relatively open and easy to walk through, with paths winding around the central structure. There is a restaurant and café on site if you want to allow time for a rest or meal.
French sculptor Jean de Rouen created three small altarpieces in the chapel spaces, bringing French Renaissance craftsmanship to Portugal. These works reveal how artistic influences from Western Europe took root at the Portuguese court.
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