Overlooking the river Varosa, its construction began in the 12th century and was the first of the Cistercian order to be founded in Portugal, after the victory of D. Afonso Henriques over the Moors in the battle of Trancoso. Over the centuries, it was expanded with the construction of new buildings, including a colossal two-story dormitory, unique in the country. In the 19th century, it fell into decay after the extinction of religious orders.

The church of the monastery has a cruciform plan, where you can see the presence of various architectural styles such as Romanesque and Gothic, and a Renaissance portal.
The Casa da Tulha, a former monastic granary, houses the site’s interpretive center, allowing the full and integrated opening of the Monastery of São João de Tarouca and where it is possible to watch the three-dimensional reconstitution of the monastery.

In this abbey rests D. Pedro Afonso, Count of Barcelos, one of the bastard sons of D. Dinis, in a huge sarcophagus in granite stone topped by his adjacent statue and decorated with hunting scenes.
Here, a unique discovery was made in the world: a prayer ring, thus confirming the suspicions of a consecration ritual to which the Cistercian monastic complexes were subject when they were built.
The Monastery of S. João de Tarouca was classified as a National Monument in 1978.
Entrance to the monastery is free, with the possibility of a guided tour; You can consult the price list for visiting the Museum Nucleus at http://www.valedovarosa.pt/