"The Convento de Nossa Senhora da Saudação (Convent of Our Lady of the Salutation) has its origin in a congregation composed by some women led by Joana Dias Quadrada. They came together to practice a life devoted to retreat and devotion, initially without being subject to the rules of any religious order.
The work for the construction of the Convent must have started around 1502. The main façade of the building retains some of the original architectural features dating from the time of the building’s foundation. On the entrance at the main gate (the Convent’s main gate) one can still see an armillary sphere which is characteristic of Manueline art. The so-called “Nuns’ Doorway” in the convent’s church is also crowned with an armillary sphere carved in high relief.
The dormitory was built during the 1560s. Also dating from the second half of the 16th century are the Church, the High Choir and the Low Choir. The cloisters of the convent date from the reign of King D. João III. During the last decade of the 16th century, the monastic nursing wards were built linking the main body of the monastery to the city’s fortified walls. Through this space passed two public thoroughfares and it was, therefore, necessary to build two arches above these streets. The location of one of these was found in 1992 when archeological digs took place. This thoroughfare probably corresponds to the street called Rua do Mosteiro à Igreja de S.Tiago mentioned in a document dated 1637.
The convent’s church is an interesting example of Classic Baroque architecture. During the 17th century, this church was endowed with a carved retable in the style of the Royal School of Valladolid. It is covered with polychrome tiles in various patterns, showing how it was possible to create a markedly Baroque environment using just poor regional materials.
The ceiling of the church, bearing the form of an arch barrel, is subdivided in square bays with geometric structure.
Also part of the body of the church are the High Choir, with walls covered with white and green tiles dating from the 17th century, and the Low Choir, with walls also covered with green and white tiles but with a smaller pattern. The Low Choir has paintings in fresco covering its vault; these are attributed by some authors to José de Escobar.
The Convent, pertaining to the Dominican Order, was always inhabited by a large number of nuns. During the 18th century it housed 65 sisters. With the extinction of the convents in 1874 and the death of the last prioress, the building was occupied by the State and in 1876 it became an asylum for poverty stricken children called Asilo de Infância Desvalida and there it remained until the 1960s.
In recent years, the Convent has undergone some specific restoration work, such as the partial recovery of its ceiling. This occurred during the second half of the 1990s and was carried out by D.G.E.M.N. It prevented the further deterioration of this valuable and monumental architectural complex. In 1998, the Municipal Council undertook the restoration of the woodwork in the church. At present, the building is occupied by the transdisciplinary centre O Espaço do Tempo and the archeology workshop entitled Oficina de Arqueologia do Programa do Castelo da Câmara Municipal de Montemor-o-Novo."
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