STA. CLARA CHURCH TILED HALL

St. Clara Church and Convent (Igreja e Convento de Santa Clara) in Porto, Portugal, is a remarkable example of Baroque architecture with roots dating back to the early 15th century. Founded in 1416 by the Order of Santa Clara, the convent played a significant role in the city’s religious and cultural life. Though the exterior is relatively modest, the church interior is richly adorned with intricate gilded woodwork from the 17th and 18th centuries, showcasing the opulence of Portuguese Baroque. Today, it stands as a testament to Porto’s artistic heritage and spiritual history.

My involvement in the conservation intervention focused in the former convent's entrance hall, one of the of the oldest pats of the building. These tiled walls had been restored in the first decade of the 20th century and, after years of neglect, they fell into disrepair. Some of the tiles were replacements from the last intervention, but most of the tiles were original 16th century examples.

The intervention goal was to preserve as many tiles as possible, removing inadequate mortar covering their edges, securing tiles deemed unstable, and reinstating losses to glazed surfaces, improving the overall readability of these historic tiles in what is now the ticket office.