There is a love story that marked the history of Portugal more than all others: the forbidden love between Prince Pedro and Inês de Castro, the lady- in- waiting of his wife Constança Manuel. Despite being married, the prince organised secret romantic meetings with Inês. After Constance’s death in 1345, Pedro began to live with Inês as husband and wife, thus challenging his father, King Afonso IV, who condemned this union, also because he was worried about the strong influence of the Castro family from which Inês descended. For many years Pedro and Inês lived in the Paço de Santa Clara in Coimbra with their three children. The court and the people continue to condemn this union and the king, Afonso IV, ended up ordering the assassination of Inês de Castro, which took place in front of her children, in January 1355. Insane with grief, Pedro, when he finally became king in 1357, ordered the capture and death of the assassins of Inês, and ordered to tear them the heart. Some time later he declared that he had married Inês in secret and for this reason everybody had to recognise Inês as Queen of Portugal. He therefore ordered her exhumation and, placing Inês’ body on the throne, he forced everyone to pay homage to her as queen of Portugal.

In April 1360, he ordered the transfer of the body of Inês from Coimbra to the Royal monastery of Alcobaça, where he ordered two marvellous mounds, to rest forever alongside his eternal beloved. The mounds are facing each other so that, on the day of universal judgment, when their bodies will rise, they will find themselves looking each other in the eyes.