Convento de São Bento da Vitória
Item
Country
PT
Name of institution (English)
Porto District Archive
Name of institution (official language of the state)
Language of name of institution
por
Contact information: postal address
Rua das Taipas 90, 4050-598 Porto
Contact information: phone number
00351 220 046 200
Contact information: web address
Contact information: email
info@adporto.dglab.gov.pt
Reference number
PT/ADPRT/MON/CVSBVTR
Type of reference number
Archival reference number
Title (English)
Monastery of São Bento da Vitória
Title (official language of the state)
Convento de São Bento da Vitória
Language of title
por
Creator / accumulator
Convento de São Bento da Vitória
Date(s)
1394/1830
Language(s)
lat
por
Extent
0.9 linear metres (26 books and 8141 documents)
Type of material
Textual Material
Physical condition
Poor
Scope and content
The Convento de São Bento da Vitória fonds primarily comprises records related to the monastery's ecclesiastic administration and financial management. It includes provisions and licences granted by the Crown and the municipality, records on the acquisition and management of estates, books of incomes and expenses, documents related to the religious activity and daily life of the monastery and its friars, etc. One of its items is the "Livro das compras e vendas das casas em que se fundou este mosteiro" (book of purchase and sale of the houses where the monastery was founded), with records dated between 1394 and 1619 (PT/ADPRT/MON/CVSBVTR/0002). This book contains a record that reports the origins of the "judiaria" (Jewish quarter) of Olival in Porto. On October 9, 1386, representatives of the Jewish community gathered in a house in Rua da Minhota and decided to appoint Ananias as their attorney to negotiate with the judges of Porto the settlement of the Jewish quarter in Campo do Olival. The "aforamento" (emphyteusis contract) of the land established the delimitation of Campo do Olival and the amount of 200 maravedis velhos (currency) paid by the Jewish "comuna" (commune) per annum. In the Council meeting on June 2, 1388, a copy of this contract was presented by Ananias and three Jewish physicians, Mestre Moussem, Mestre Dourado, and Mestre Isaque, on behalf of the Jewish "comuna" on a petition regarding the payment of taxes to the Cathedral Chapter of Porto. The "Livro das compras e vendas das casas em que se fundou este mosteiro" includes copies of this contract (PT/ADPRT/MON/CVSBVTR/0002/00064; PT/ADPRT/MON/CVSBVTR/0002/00065) attached to claims regarding the demarcation and property of these lands.
Archival history
In 1834, after the ecclesiastic reform carried out by Minister Joaquim António de Aguiar and executed by the Comissão da Reforma Geral do Clero (Committee for the General Reform of the Clergy), all the male convents, monasteries, colleges, and religious houses were dissolved by decree on May 30. Then, all their estates and assets, including their libraries and archives, were incorporated in the Próprios da Fazenda Nacional (National Treasury). Therefore, this was the destination of the Monastery of São Bento da Vitória's archive. In July 1934, the monastery's fonds, as well as others from male monasteries of Porto and surroundings, were transferred from the Repartição de Finanças do Porto (Porto Tax Office) to the Arquivo Distrital do Porto.
Administrative / Biographical history
The Monastery of São Bento da Vitória started to be built at the end of the 16th century, in the place where the "judiaria" (Jewish quarter) of Porto had been located before the late 15th-century expulsion and forced conversions. The monastery's foundation was authorised by the Municipality of Porto in 1583. In 1598, the bishop of Porto also gave permission for the construction, although the works were delayed for a long time and were only completely finished in the 18th century. Before the monastery's erection, the Benedictine community of Porto was settled in a house founded in 1580 or 1581, the Casa de São Mauro. However, the community was only officially established after the General Chapter of the Order of Saint Benedict in 1596. The monastery became an abbey in 1599. In 1623, it hosted 31 friars.
During the Peninsular War (1807-1814) and afterwards, the monastery served as a military hospital. Later, in 1832, the friars were forced to give the building to the army, although the community was only officially extinct two years after. In 1835, the monastery's church was placed in the custody of the Arquiconfraria do Santíssimo e Imaculado Coração de Maria (Brotherhood of the Blessed and Immaculate Heart of Mary).
Between 1985 and 1990, the monastery was restored. Part of the building was given back and again occupied by the Benedictines. Another part became the headquarters of both the Orquestra Nacional do Porto (Porto National Orchestra) and the Arquivo Distrital do Porto. In 2007, the State assigned a part of the building to the Teatro Nacional de São João (National Theatre).
During the Peninsular War (1807-1814) and afterwards, the monastery served as a military hospital. Later, in 1832, the friars were forced to give the building to the army, although the community was only officially extinct two years after. In 1835, the monastery's church was placed in the custody of the Arquiconfraria do Santíssimo e Imaculado Coração de Maria (Brotherhood of the Blessed and Immaculate Heart of Mary).
Between 1985 and 1990, the monastery was restored. Part of the building was given back and again occupied by the Benedictines. Another part became the headquarters of both the Orquestra Nacional do Porto (Porto National Orchestra) and the Arquivo Distrital do Porto. In 2007, the State assigned a part of the building to the Teatro Nacional de São João (National Theatre).
Access points: locations
Access points: corporate bodies
Access points: subject terms
Access points: document types
System of arrangement
Records are arranged chronologically.
Access, restrictions
Conditional access to the records because of their poor condition.
Finding aids
Melo, Maria Isabel S. G. 1998. "Inventário dum núcleo de documentos do convento de S. Bento da Vitória existente no ADP. Trabalho apresentado na cadeira de Arquivologia-Arquivoeconomia do Curso de Bibliotecário-Arquivista". Inventory of documents belonging to the Monastery of São Bento. Typewritten document available for consultation in the archive.
Links to finding aids
Author of the description
Carla Vieira and Rui Queirós de Faria, 2021
Published primary sources
Linked resources
Filter by property
| Title | Alternate label | Class |
|---|---|---|
| Arquivo Distrital do Porto | Collections (official language of the state) |