Portuguese authorities have rejected a television programme's claims that one of the country's most cherished historic monuments was damaged during the shooting of a film by Monty Python star Terry Gilliam.

The General-Directorate for Heritage said an investigation has found that the 12th-century Convent of Christ suffered only "insignificant" damage during a recent location shoot for The Man Who Killed Don Quixote.

The report said a programme by public broadcaster RTP alleging wider damage "lacked rigour and revealed a lack of scientific knowledge".

Gilliam has previously called the allegations "ignorant nonsense".

The convent was a stronghold of the Knights Templar, a Christian military order founded in 1119, and is classified as a World Heritage site by Unesco.

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