King Afonso Henriques and Queen Mafalda donated, in gratitude to the clergy of Rodrigo Esomenis, land to the medic Soeiro Teodoniz, representing parcels in Echega, Godesteo, Sendino, Alvito and Taoi, in Travanca de Tavares, that included houses, vegetable gardens, plantations, water and pastureland in July 1154.

[1][2] The monastery was founded in 1173 in its actual location, by abbot D. Soeiro Teodoniz, following the Benedictine tradition, and on 31 October, Afonso Henriques established and fixed the limits of the new institution, falling into regal protection.

[1] Many of the monastery's possessions continued to flow from the patronage of the nobility: in 1294, the Chapel to Santa Catarina and guard houses were supported by D. Teresa Afonso Gata; and King Denis left 200 pounds in his will.

[1] Further, the Cistercian clergy also had five military redoubts including in the monastery, Outeiro, Granja (Fagilde), Moimenta and Figueiredo de Seia, in addition to many houses within their territory.

[1] Yet, during the, 21–22 December 1532, visit of French abbot Bronseval, from Clairvaux, the cleric opined on the poverty of the monastery, referring to a "small and badly constructed [building] without refectory and regular kitchen".

[1][5] These comments were received by the bishopric in Alcobaça, who sent Father António de Almoster the following year to Maceira Dão, in order to evaluate the state of the congregation.

[1] In February 1666, the monastery contracts Sebastião da Mota to execute a silver thurible, similar to those used in the Chapel of Senhor, in the Cathedral of Viseu.

Pascoal José Parente moved to the monastery in 1786 in order to complete several paintings, including specifically the "Sagrada Família" (Sacred Family).

A formal inventory of the possessions and properties owned by the monastery began on 14 June 1834, with the buildings and site sold to a businessman in Visue: António da Silva.

[1] On 31 July 1845, the Irmandade das Almas (Brotherhood of Souls) in Mangualde, purchase two lateral altarpieces and a painting of the "Fuga para o Egipto" (Flight into Egypt) for 48$000 réis.

[1] After the mismanagement of various property-owners and the Rosada family from Tibaldinho, which almost left it in ruins, the monastery was bought by António Jorge Ferreira, on 22 Abril 1965, for 728.720$00 réis.

[1] Located at the end of the dirt road, the monastery is an irregular rectangular plan, composed of various articulated bodies, that includes the convent dependencies, a church to the left entrance and a tower, with tile-covered roofs.

The west wall has a convex profile, with straight gable, dominated by a main portal with a decorated facade cut with ornated curves and cornices that frames a Portuguese escudo (shield), surmounted by a closed crown.