Convent of the Capuchos reopens to the public

The Convent of the Capuchos reopened to the public this week. The monument had been closed since 19 March, following the passage of storm Martinho, which caused significant damage to the Sintra Hills, particularly along the roads within the Forest Perimeter.

The reopening of the Capuchos Road and the road connecting Pé da Serra to the Capuchos junction made it possible to reopen the monument. Other roads and areas within the Forest Perimeter remain severely affected and are still closed off, due to ongoing works by Parques de Sintra and Sintra Town Council.

Parques de Sintra has already collected and removed 3.2 million kilograms of timber from the areas affected by storm Martinho. The company is currently implementing a phased recovery plan for the damaged forest areas — a project that will continue over the next two years and involves an investment of around 3 million euros.

At the same time, Parques de Sintra is developing a plan to mitigate the erosive effects caused by the storm and to reforest the affected areas.

This plan prioritises the planting of native species, strategies for soil stabilisation, the recovery of plant cover, maintenance of the water balance, and the restoration of natural habitats — thereby ensuring greater sustainability and resilience of the forest in the face of future extreme weather events.

Founded in 1560 in the heart of the Sintra Hills, the Convent of the Capuchos once again welcomes visitors, who come to discover a place that embodies the harmony between humble human construction and natural splendour. Entirely devoid of luxury or comfort, it stands out for its simplicity and breathes spiritual devotion and asceticism.

During the night of 19 to 20 March, storm Martinho swept through the Sintra Hills, bringing down around 100,000 trees and affecting 280 hectares of the approximately 1,000 hectares managed by Parques de Sintra, which include the Convent of the Capuchos and the surrounding woodland. This extreme weather event, unprecedented in the region, proved particularly destructive due to the rare combination of meteorological factors involved.