carried across the east side next the church;
but in its south-west corner an opening with a good entablature, resting
on two columns with fine Corinthian capitals, leads to one of those
twisting stairs without a newel of which builders of this time were so
fond. Going up this stair one reaches the cloister of the Filippes which
Joao did not live to carry out.

More interesting than any of these cloisters are the long dormitory
passages. The walls for about one-third of the height are lined with
tiles, which with the red paving tiles were bought for about L33 from
one Aleixo Antunes. The roofs are throughout of dark panelled wood and
semicircular in shape. The only windows--except at the crossing--are at
the ends of the three long arms. There is a small round-headed window
above, and below one, flat-headed, with a column in the centre and one
at each side, the window on the north end having on it the date 1541,
eight years after the chapel in the centre had been built.

On this chapel at the crossing has been expended far more ornament than
on any other part of the passages. Leading to each arm of the passage an
arch, curiously enriched with narrow bands which twice cross each other
leaving diamond-shaped hollows, rests on Corinthian pilasters, which
have only four flutes, but are adorned with niches, whose elegant
canopies mark the level of the springing of the chapel vault. This
vault, considerably lower than the passage arches, is semicircular and
coffered. Between it and the cornice which runs all round the square
above the passage arches is a large oblong panel, in the middle of which
is a small round window. Beautifully carved figures which, instead of
having legs, end in great acanthus-leaf volutes with dragons in the
centre, hold a beautifully carved wreath round this window. In the
middle of the architrave below, a tablet, held by exquisite little
winged boys, gives the date, 'Era de 1533.' Above the cornice there
rises a simple vault with a narrow round-headed window on each side.

This carving over the chapel is one of the finest examples of
renaissance work left in the country. It is much bolder than any of the
French work left at Coimbra, being in much higher relief than was usual
in the early French renaissance, and yet the figures and leaves are
carved with the utmost delicacy and refinement. (Fig. 86.)

The same delicacy characterises such small parts of the cloister dos
Filippes as were built by Joao