The S. Gonçalo de Amarante convent was founded in 1540 by D. João III, and the first stone was laid in 1543 (by Frei João de Ledesma), beginning the works in the areas of annexes and services, bedrooms, dining rooms and sacristy . Its construction will continue until the reign of Filipe I of Portugal, as is evident in the inscription of the majestic bases of the columns that frame the arch of the chancel and in the “Varanda dos Reis”, where the images of “ sponsors ”of the work: D. João III (1521-1557), D. Sebastião (1557-1578), Cardinal D. Henrique (1578-1580) and D. Filipe I (1580-1598). The portal has clear similarities with the portals of the Church of São Domingos, in Viana do Castelo. The geography of the site, the Tâmega river on one side, granitic rock on the other, caused great difficulties at the beginning of the work, and it was very costly to lay the foundations for the construction. The second cloister was built later, in the first six hundred decades. The dome, dome and windows were built by the master Domingos de Freitas from 1641.