TOMAR

At the heart of the old town is the delightful Praça da República square, an idyllic spot for lunch or a coffee whilst taking in the sights. The square is paved with diamond-patterned tiling and overlooked by a statue of the town's founder, Gualdim Pais. Here are some impressive 17th Century buildings, such as the old town hall, with its charismatic loggia of three arches.

CHURCH OF SÃO JOÃO BAPTISA

Opposite Tomars' old town hall on the Praça do República is the recently restored Church of São João Baptista (John the Baptist). It has origins in the 12th century and was a meeting place for the Knights Templar. The Church of São João Baptista was re-built in the 15th century, under the sponsorship of Dom Manuel, and completed in 1510. The Manueline ornaments on the north door sports boars, dogs and wild asses, and the western entrance is more prosaic. The adjoining bell tower has a distinct octangular profile on a square base. Inside, hanging on the side aisles, are six panels painted by Gregório Lopes, one of 16th-century Portugal's finest artists. One panel is a representation of The Last Supper.

The main attraction of Tomar stands on a wooded hill overlooking Tomar and is one of Portugal's five most significant buildings. Standing next to the entrance to the convent is the mystical 12th Century Templar Castle. Its crenellations guard the route between Santarém and Coimbra. Gualdim Pais, Master of the Knights Templar, began construction of the castle on the 1st of March 1160. Its irregular walls extended throughout time to encompass the Charola or Round Church, the living quarters for the Knights Templar to the north and the parade ground or interior courtyard and the area once occupied by the residents of the fortified town to the south.

THE CHAROLA

One of the outstanding examples of Templar architecture dates from the 12th and 13th centuries. Its distinctive polygonal structure has eight sides on the inside, becoming sixteen on the exterior. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem inspired its design. As Master of the Order of Christ, the order that replaced the Templars, Henry the Navigator overlooked the first alterations of the building and built the chapel on the east wing of the Charola and dedicated it to St. Thomas á Becket. King Manuel I made further additions between 1495 and 1521 when the external wall was opened on the east side, resulting in the huge triumphal arch which links the Charola to the Manueline church.

The Chapter House Window is an impressive example of Manueline architecture. Designed by Diogo de Arruda. It was added to the west façade of the Manueline church between 1510 and 1513. Known in Portuguese as Janela do Capítulo, it is overlaid totally by maritime imagery. Found within the elaborate design are motifs representing seashells, coral, inter-winding ropes and the royal coat of arms. One has a feeling there's a secret message encoded within the stonework.

THE CLOISTERS

João de Castilho, an esteemed architect of his time, constructed the Cloister Principal during the years 1530-1533, and this historic structure remains standing to this day. During the reign of João III, the structure underwent partial reconstruction, which was ultimately completed in 1562. The Ceras terrace boasts of a ceiling that was completed by Filipe Terzi, an Italian architect who is widely recognized for his exceptional work and is considered a masterpiece of the Renaissance period.

High Season Daily: 09h00 - 18h30 | Low Season Daily: 09h00 - 17h00
Adult: €6.00, OAP & concessionary: €3.00, Child under 14: FREE
Convento de Cristo, Igreja do Castelo Templário 2300-000. Tomar, Portugal.
39º 36' 12.6" N | 08º 25' 08.5" W
+351 249 315 089 | convento.cristo@igespar.pt |  Website

The Templars also sought wisdom from Judaism. After the Jews were expelled from Spain, they founded a colony in Tomar. They established the synagogue of Tomar, one of Portugal's oldest. Located in the heart of old Tomar, in Rua Dr Joaquim Jacinto, it was built between 1430 to 1460 by Dom Henrique. Today, the building houses the Abraão Zacuto Luso-Hebrew Museum.

Named after Abraham Zacuto (c.1450-c.1522), a mathematician and author of the celebrated Almanach Perpetuum. The book was published in Leiria in 1496 and contained mathematical tables widely used by Portuguese navigators during the early 16th century and beyond. The exhibits include various archaeological findings attesting to the Jewish presence in Portugal during the Middle Ages.

The museum holds a small collection of modern artefacts describing the Jewish way of life donated by individuals and Jewish institutions from around the world.

73 Rua Dr. Joaquim Jacinto, 2300, Tomar, Portugal. | 39º 36' 11.6" N | 08º 24' 49.9" W
+351 249 329 823 | turismo@cm-tomar.pt

Before the aqueduct, the Convent drew its water from springs and cisterns. Construction on the Aqueduto dos Pegões started in 1593 and took eleven years to complete. Filipe Terzi began the work and Pedro Fernandes Torres completed it in 1613. Its highest point rises to 30 metres and is four miles long. It comprises 180 arches and 58 arcs bringing water from springs from the northeast. Where the Pegões valley drops down, it forms rows of double arches, the lower gothic arches supporting the continuous upper row. The Aqueduct has been a national monument since 1910 and is reached by following the road to Leiria.

THE GREEN TOURIST TRAIN

This little road train has become popular since its launch in 2000. It runs along two routes, one is a tour around town and the other goes up the hill to the Convent of Christ and Pegões Aqueduct. Although the walk up to the Convent of Christ isn't long, it is very steep in places. The Tourist Train offers those with mobility issues or with aching limbs an easier way to ascend the hill. The train leaves from the Rua Marquês de Pombal and Rua Serpa Pinto.

Located at the end of the Avenida Dr. Cândido Madureira, one of Tomar's main streets, the Mata Nacional dos Sete Montes park is Tomar's largest. Covering an area of 39 hectares, the park incorporates botanical gardens with many rare flowers and specimens of trees from around the world. The woodlands include ancient cypress trees, judas trees, oak trees, wild pine trees, stone pines and olive trees. The park also offers a scenic route to the castle and convent complex, to which it's affiliated–which was once used by the Order of Christ for agricultural purposes. Paths lead off to springs, secluded corners and monuments, including a model Romanesque church known as the Charolinha, increasing the park's charm. The park is free and open during the day.
High Season Daily: 08h30 - 17h00 | Low Season Daily: 09h00 - 17h00 | FREE
Avenida Doutor Candido Madureira, Tomar, 2300-531, Portugal. | 39º 36' 06.7" N | 08º 24' 50.8" W

The Igreja de Santa Maria do Olival was built in 1160 and pre-dates the Convent of Christ and castle overlooking Tomar. The church was built over the top of a Benedictine convent part of the Roman settlement called Nabância. The church was deliberately built below ground level and might be symbolic of rebirth ceremonies. The church was commissioned by the regional master of the Order of the Knights Templar in Portugal, Gualdim Pais. Igreja de Santa Maria do Olival served as the Pantheon for the Order of the Knights Templar and is the resting place of Mestre Lourenço Martins, Mestre Dom Gil Martins and Gualdim Pais. The site served as the centrepiece of the Templar's influence in Portugal for 400 years who have left their encoded symbols all over the place.

The construction has a stark appearance both inside and outside, which is a typical feature of religious orders. The interior feels cavernous, with a central nave and two side aisles illuminated by a large rose window in the façade. Olival translates as "olive grove" and a reference to the Mount of Olives. A small rose window on the eastern wall (facing Jerusalem) incorporates a pentagram, a Templar emblem. Local myths suggest the church served an important site for underground Templar initiation rituals. Recent nearby construction work and radar surveys confirm the existence of underground tunnels leading to Tomar's castle. The church's rectangular bell tower stands separate from the main edifice in front of the main façade. It was constructed during the time of Dom Manuel I and doubled up as a watchtower.

Several chapels were added to the Southern side of the church during restoration work in the 16th century. Notable are the polychromed statue of the Virgin Mary and Child (early 16th century) in the main altar and the funerary monument of Diogo Pinheiro, the first Bishop of Funchal, a fine Renaissance work dating from 1525, located on the wall of the main chapel.

Tuesday – Sunday: 10h00 – 18h00, Monday & Sunday: CLOSED | FREE
Rua Aquiles de Mota Lima, 2300-255, Tomar, Portugal. | 39º 36' 10.5" N | 08º 23' 59.2" W