The portuguese Cistercian monastery of São João de Tarouca is located in northern Portugal (Tarouca - Viseu), near the south bank of the Douro River and the Port wine vineyards. Its construction began in 1154 and was extinct in 1834, after the portuguese civil war and the extinction of all male monasterys. The monasterys church was the only building totaly preserved after the extinction, while the rest of the monastery was sould and used as a stone quarry for almost two hundred years.

In 1996 the Ministério da Cultura (Portuguese Ministry of Culture) began a large rehabilitation project of the São joão de Tarouca Monastery (declared National Heritage), including the Archaeological Excavation of the total area of the medieval monastery.
In spite the fact that the rehabilitation project is yet in progress, the São João de Tarouca Monastery is allready open to visits from Tuesday (only in the afternoon) to Sunday. All visits are free.