Portuguese landmarks preserved as symbols of national identity

Portuguese authorities and religious orders prioritized the preservation of the Mosteiro da Batalha and the Convento do Carmo in Lisbon as historical monuments rather than modernizing them after the 1755 earthquake.

While most buildings in Portugal underwent modernization following the 1755 earthquake, the religious orders chose to restore these specific sites to their original medieval forms.

The monks and friars at the Mosteiro da Batalha and the Convento do Carmo spent resources between 1758 and 1830 to rebuild gothic arches and ribs. They did this despite a lack of technical knowledge about gothic architecture at the time because they viewed these buildings as essential links to the nation's past.

The decision to preserve these structures was driven by their association with the Battle of Aljubarrota and the victory of King João I and Nuno Álvares Pereira over Castille. These figures and events became central to a growing sense of national heritage. By the 1780s, these buildings were described in historical texts as magnificent standards that kept the memory of Portuguese freedom alive. This shift in perspective moved the value of the buildings from purely religious use to historical preservation.

By the early 19th century, this sensitivity toward heritage led to a desire to protect the sites from destruction. Even as religious orders faced potential dissolution during the Napoleonic wars and subsequent reforms, advocates argued for their survival as evidence of artistic advancement and historical memory. This early awareness of heritage helped shape the legal classification of these sites as national monuments in 1906.