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49-605: The town of Tomar was created inside the walls of the Convento de Cristo , constructed under the orders of Gualdim de Pais , the fourth Grand Master of the Knights Templar in Portugal in the late 12th century. Tomar was the last Templar town to be commissioned for construction and one of Portugal's historical jewels. The town was especially important in the 15th century when it was a center of Portuguese overseas expansion under Henry

98-622: A 12th-century Templar stronghold , when the order was dissolved in the 14th century the Portuguese branch was turned into the Knights of the Order of Christ , that later supported Portugal's maritime discoveries of the 15th century. The convent and castle complex are a historic and cultural monument and was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1983. The castle was founded by the Order of Poor Knights of

147-594: A Tribunal of the Portuguese Inquisition by the initiative of the clergy in the town. Under persecution, wealthier Jews fled, while most others were forced to convert. Hundreds of both Jews and New Christians were arrested, tortured and about 1,000 were executed in autos da fé , in a frenzy of persecution that peaked around 1550. Many others (c. 38,000) were expropriated of their property or penance. Jewish ascendancy, more than Jewish religion, together with personal wealth determined who would be persecuted, since

196-451: A chessboard pattern, a rare feature for a mediaeval city, instituted by Prince Henry the Navigator, which later inspired the pattern used for the rebuilding of Lisbon after the earthquake in 1755. Scattered throughout the town there are many interesting houses with Renaissance , Baroque and Romantic façades. By the river Nabão, near the bridge, there is a park and garden that offer views of

245-516: A mix of late gothic and renaissance that would be called Manueline style by art historians. The architects involved were the Portuguese Diogo de Arruda and the Spaniard Juan de Castillo ( João de Castilho ). From the outside, the rectangular nave is covered by abundant Manueline motifs, including gargoyles, gothic pinnacles, statues and "ropes" that remind the ones used in the ships during

294-460: A rational, geometrical fashion, as they can still be seen today. In 1438, King Duarte , who had fled Lisbon because of the Black Death , died here. Just after 1492 with the expulsion of Jews from Spain , the town increased further with Jewish refugee artisans and traders. The very large Jewish minority dynamized the city with new trades and skills. Their experience was vital in the success of

343-673: A surrounding gallery ( ambulatory ). The general shape of the church is modelled after similar round structures in Jerusalem : the Mosque of Omar and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre . The capitals of the columns are still Romanesque (end of the 12th century) and depict vegetal and animal motifs, as well as a Daniel in the Lions' Den scene. The style of the capitals shows the influence of artists working on

392-400: Is covered by beautiful ribbed vaulting and has a high choir that used to have Manueline choir stalls, unfortunately destroyed by invading Napoleonic troops in the early 19th century. Under the high choir there is a room that used to be the sacristy of the church. Its window is the famous Chapter House Window already mentioned. The Convent of Christ has a total of eight cloisters , built in

441-675: Is one of the best examples of Renaissance architecture in Portugal . In 1581, after a succession crisis , the Portuguese Nobility gathered in the Convent of Christ in Tomar and officially recognised Philip II of Spain (Philip I of Portugal) as King. This is the beginning of the Iberian Union (1581–1640), during which the Crowns of Portugal and Spain were united in a dynastic union . The aqueduct of

490-741: The Age of Discovery , as well as the Cross of the Order of Christ and the emblem of King Manuel I, the armillary sphere . The so-called Window of the Chapter House ( Janela do Capítulo ), a huge window visible from the Saint Barbara Cloister in the Western façade of the nave, carries most of the typical Manueline motifs: the symbols of the Order of Christ and of Manuel I, and fantastic and unprecedented elaborations of ropes, corals and vegetal motifs. A human figure in

539-474: The Cathedral of Coimbra , which was being built at the same time as the round church. The interior of the round church is magnificently decorated with late gothic/manueline sculpture and paintings, added during a renovation sponsored by King Manuel I starting in 1499. The pillars of the central octagon and the walls of the ambulatory have polychrome statues of saints and angels under exuberant Gothic canopies, while

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588-526: The Holy See , the Order of Christ of the House of Orléans-Braganza , and the Order of Christ of Kongo. The order's origins lie in the Knights Templar , founded circa 1118. The Templars were persecuted by the king of France and eventually disbanded by the pope in 1312. King Dinis I of Portugal created the Order of Christ in 1319 for those knights who survived their mass slaughter throughout Europe. In Portugal,

637-462: The Order of Christ . The seat of the former Knights Templar was converted in 1357 into the seat of this new order. As a result, at about the first half of the 15th century, work was completed to adapt the Templar oratory, introducing an open choir to the western niche, about half-way up the wall. What remains of this adaptation was the colonnade frame with interior arch. At the same time the main palace

686-580: The Tagus River . But, following the dissolution of the Templar Order, on 14 March 1319, and following the request of King Denis of Portugal , Pope John XXII instituted the Order of Christ . The seat of the former Knights Templar was converted in 1357 into the seat of this new order. The famous round church ( rotunda ) of the castle of Tomar was also built in the second half of the 12th century. The church, like some other templar churches throughout Europe,

735-478: The city of seven hills , as the seven hills of Jerusalem , the seven hills of Rome or the seven columns of Constantinople . The foral or feudal contract was granted in 1162 by the Grand Master to the people. The Templars ruled from Tomar a vast region of central Portugal which they pledged to defend from Moorish attacks and raids. Like many lords of the unpopulated former frontier region of central Portugal,

784-594: The 15th and 16th centuries. Some examples: Order of Christ (Portugal) The Military Order of Our Lord Jesus Christ is the former order of Knights Templar as it was reconstituted in Portugal . Before 1910, it was known as the Royal Military Order of Our Lord Jesus Christ , and the Order of the Knights of Our Lord Jesus Christ . It was founded in 1319, with the protection of King Denis of Portugal , after

833-413: The 18th century Tomar was one of the first regions of Portugal to develop industry. In the reign of Maria I , with royal support, a textile factory of Jácome Ratton was established against the opposition of the Order. The hydraulic resources of the river Nabão were used to supply energy to this and many other factories, namely paper factories, foundries, glassworks, silks and soaps. Tomar was occupied by

882-449: The Convent was built during this period (aqueduct completed in 1614). The castle and Convent of Christ have examples of Romanesque , Gothic , Manueline and Renaissance architectural styles. The castle of Tomar was built around 1160 on a strategic location, over a hill and near river Nabão. It has an outer defensive wall and a citadel ( alcáçova ) with a keep inside. The Keep, a central tower of residential and defensive functions,

931-759: The English king Henry VII ). The entrance of the church is done through a magnificent lateral portal, also decorated with abundant Manueline motifs and statues of the Virgin with the Child as well as the Prophets of the Old Testament. This portal was designed by João de Castilho c. 1530. In the interior, the Manueline nave is connected to the Romanesque round church by a large arch. The nave

980-542: The French during the Peninsular War , against which it rebelled. The Duke of Wellington , with his Portuguese and English troops, liberated the city afterwards. In 1834 all the religious orders, including the Order of Christ, were disbanded. Tomar is twinned with: Tomar attracts many tourists because of its varied monuments. These include: The streets and squares of the picturesque centre of Tomar are organised following

1029-508: The King soon proclaimed by edict that all the Jews remaining within the territory of Portugal would be after a short period considered Christians, although simultaneously he forbade them to leave, fearing that the exodus of Jewish men of knowledge and capital would harm Portugal's burgeoning commercial empire. Jews were largely undisturbed as nominal Christians for several decades, until the establishment of

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1078-604: The Navigator , the Grand Master of the Order of Christ , successor organization to the Knights Templar in Portugal. Tomar lies in the most fertile region of Portugal, and one of the most fertile in the whole of the Iberian Peninsula : the Ribatejo ("by the river Tagus ") meadows. It is located in the district of Santarém . The predominant landscape is agricultural, consisting of olive , pine and fig trees. The seat of

1127-532: The Order of Christ accumulated great riches and power during the Age of Discoveries . In 1789, Queen Maria I of Portugal secularized the order. In 1910, with the end of the Portuguese monarchy, the order was extinguished. However, in 1917, the order was revived, with its Grand Master to be the President of Portugal . The Military Order of Christ, together with the Military Orders of Aviz and of St. James of

1176-658: The Pope and the (lay) Master or Governor by the King, instead of being elected by the monks. Henry the Navigator was made the Governor of the Order, and it is believed that he used the resources and knowledge of the Order to succeed in his enterprises in Africa and in the Atlantic. The Order of Christ Cross was painted in the sails of the caravels that crossed the seas, and the Catholic missions in

1225-633: The Sword , formed the group of the "Ancient Military Orders", governed by a chancellor and a council of eight members, and appointed by the President of the Republic to assist him as Grand Master in all the order's administrative matters. The Order can be conferred for outstanding services to the Republic on military officers, and, despite its name, on civilians (including foreigners as well as Portuguese citizens) and on members of: Parliament or other branches of government,

1274-532: The Templars of Tomar as the Order of Christ, largely for their aid during the Reconquista and in the reconstruction of Portugal after the wars. Denis negotiated with Clement's successor, John XXII , for recognition of the new order and its right to inherit the Templar assets and property. This was granted in a papal bull, Ad ea ex quibus , on 14 March 1319. There exists also a parallel Supreme Order of Christ of

1323-514: The Templars were abolished on 22 March 1312 by the papal bull , Vox in excelso , issued by Pope Clement V . King Denis refused to pursue and persecute the former knights as had occurred in most of the other sovereign states under the political influence of the Catholic Church. Heavily swayed by Philip IV of France , Pope Clement had the Knights Templar annihilated throughout France and most of Europe on charges of heresy , but Denis revived

1372-457: The Temple (or Templar Knights) in 1118. Its construction continued until the final part of the 12th century with the construction of the oratory, in one of the angles of the castle, completed by the Grand Master D. Gualdim Pais (sometime around 1160). Around 1190 it was encircled and resisted the armies of caliph Abu Yusuf al-Mansur who was successful in taking strongholds in the south. (A plaque

1421-458: The bottom of the window probably represents the designer, Diogo de Arruda. This window of the Convent constitutes one of the masterworks of Manueline decoration. Above is a smaller circular window and a balustrade. The façade is divided by two string courses of knotted ropes. The round angle buttresses are decorated with gigantic garters (alluding to investiture of Manuel I by the Order of the Garter by

1470-564: The city and surroundings. Tomar has several schools including primary, junior high school, high schools and a polytechnic. These include: The municipal holiday day is March 1, and commemorates the day when the Templars' Master D. Gualdim founded the Templar City in 1160. Convento de Cristo The Convent of Christ ( Portuguese : Convento de Cristo/Mosteiro de Cristo ) is a former Catholic convent in Tomar , Portugal . Originally

1519-561: The convent (sometime around 1492), with 3,500 reis being spent on the public works in 1499: the chapterhouse, main altar, ironworks for the niche/archway, paintings and sculptures (for the same) and the choir were all expanded or remodelled. A new meeting of the Chapter to reform the Order, ordered by the King 1503, expropriated the old Vila de Dentro, within the walls and closed the Sun Gate and Almedina Gate . On 11 October 1504, Francisco Lopes

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1568-592: The expropriations reverted to the institution of the Inquisition itself. With the persecution of its merchants and professionals Tomar lost most of its relevance as a trading centre. New Christian names among the inhabitants are very common today. In 1581 the city was the seat of the Portuguese Cortes (feudal parliament) which acclaimed the King of Spain Felipe II as Portugal's Filipe I (see Iberian Union ). During

1617-402: The headquarters of the Order in Portugal. Local traditional legends preach that the choice was for mystical reasons and by divine inspiration, and from practices by the Grand Master of geomancy , based on exercises taken from luck and predestination. Reinforcing this magical view is the setting of the site among a small chain of seven elevations ( lugar dos sete montes ), which became known as

1666-617: The knights and their 72-year-old leader, Gualdim Pais , kept them at bay. A plaque commemorates this bloody battle at the Porta do Sangue at the Castelo Templário (Castle of Tomar). In 1314, under pressure from the Pope Clement V , the order was suppressed. Philip IV of France , who owed the Templars huge debts, held the pope a virtual prisoner and coerced him to suppress the order on bases of false accusations and forced confessions. The Order

1715-614: The modern city lies the Roman city of Sellium . After the conquest of the region from the Moors in the Portuguese Reconquista , the land was granted in 1159 as a fief to the Order of the Knights Templar . In 1160, Gualdim Pais , the Order's Grand master in Portugal and Tomar's somewhat mythical founder, laid the first stone of the Castle and Convent of the Knights Templar that would become

1764-451: The municipality is the city of Tomar, which comprises the parishes of Santa Maria dos Olivais and São João Batista. Tomar is also the capital of the Médio Tejo (Mid- Tagus river) region. The Nabão River cuts across what was the ancient city of Nabantia: its inhabitants are called Nabantinos . Administratively, the municipality is divided into 11 civil parishes ( freguesias ): Under

1813-481: The new lands were under the authority of the Tomar clerics until 1514. Henry, enriched by his overseas enterprises, was the first ruler to improve the buildings of the Convento de Cristo since their construction by Gualdim Pais. He also ordered dams to be built to control the Nabão River and swamps to be drained. This allowed the burgeoning town to attract more settlers. Henry ordered the new streets to be designed in

1862-513: The new trade routes with Africa. The original synagogue, the Synagogue of Tomar still stands. In the reign of Manuel I of Portugal the convent took its final form within the Manueline renaissance style. With the growing importance of the town as master of Portugal's overseas empire, the leadership of the Order was granted to the King by the Pope. However, under pressure from the monarchs of Spain,

1911-408: The protective outer walls of the castle. The Romanesque round church is a Catholic Church from the castle ( charola , rotunda ) was built in the second half of the 12th century by the Knights Templar. From the outside, the church is a 16-side polygonal structure, with strong buttresses, round windows and a belltower. Inside, the round church has a central, octagonal structure, connected by arches to

1960-558: The villagers were given relatively liberal conditions in comparison with those of the northern regions of Portugal, in order to attract new immigrants. Those inhabitants who could sustain a horse were obliged to pay military service in return for privileges. They were not allowed the title of Knight which was reserved to the Templars . Women were also admitted to the Order, although they did not fight. In 1190 Abu Yusuf Yaqub al-Mansur , an Almohad caliph , and his army attacked Tomar . However

2009-579: The walls and ceilings of the ambulatory are painted with Gothic patterns and panels depicting the life of Christ. The paintings are attributed to the workshop of the court painter of Manuel I, the Portuguese Jorge Afonso , while the sculptured decoration is attributed to Flemish sculptor Olivier de Gand and the Spaniard Hernán Muñoz . A magnificent panel depicting the martyrdom of Saint Sebastian , by Portuguese painter Gregório Lopes ,

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2058-517: Was constructed. During the internship of Prince Henry the Navigator as its leader (1417–1450), the Order of Christ initiated the construction of two cloisters under the direction of master Fernão Gonçalves: the Claustro do Cemitério ( Cemetery Cloister ) and Claustro das Lavagens ( Washing Cloister ). Prior to these large works, Henry began work on constructing the Chapel of São Jorge sometime in 1426 and

2107-403: Was erected near the entrance to the castle to commemorate this event). During the second quarter of the 13th century, Tomar was transferred into the control of the Templars, becoming its seat. The castle became an integral part of the defence system created by the Templars to secure the border of the young Christian Kingdom against the Moors , which at the time occupied the area to approximately

2156-463: Was introduced in Portugal by the Templars, and the one in Tomar is one of the oldest in the country. Another novelty introduced in Portugal by the Templars (learned from decades of experience in Normandy and Brittany and elsewhere) are the round towers in the outer walls, which are more resistant to attacks than square towers. When the town was founded, most of its residents lived in dwellings located inside

2205-693: Was modelled after the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem , which was believed by the crusaders to be a remnant of the Temple of Solomon . The Church of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem may also have served as model. Following the dissolution of the Templar Order, on 14 March 1319 (following the request of King Denis of Portugal ), Pope John XXII instituted the Order of Christ . The Templar order had been suppressed during most of Europe from 1312 to 1314, but in Portugal its members, assets, and partly its membership were transferred to

2254-428: Was nominated as masterbuilder for the project, by King John III , receiving 8$ 000 reis annually and 120 reis for meals. By 1506, D. Manuel decided to order the construction of the church's nave . The successor of Manuel I, King John III , demilitarised the order, turning it into a more religious order with a rule based on that of Bernard of Clairvaux . He also ordered the construction of a new cloister in 1557, which

2303-561: Was painted for the Round Church and now hangs in the National Museum of Ancient Art in Lisbon . During the administration of Prince Henry the Navigator (first half of the 15th century), a gothic nave was added to the round church of the Convent, thus turning the round church into a church apse . From 1510 onwards, King Manuel I ordered the rebuilding of the nave in the style of the time,

2352-456: Was responsible for urban improvements in the town of Tomar. In 1484, King D. Manuel (who became Master of the Order in 1484 and King of Portugal in 1495) ordered the construction of a sacristy (today the Hall of Passage), that connected the choir to the Chapel of São Jorge, linking the choir with the wall of the stronghouse. By the end of the century, the convent's General Chapter, decided to expand

2401-472: Was suppressed in most of Europe and its holdings were to be transferred to the Knights Hospitaler . Instead, King Dinis negotiated the transfer of the Order's possessions and personnel in Portugal to a newly created Order of Christ . This Order moved in 1319 to Castro Marim , but in 1356 it returned to Tomar. In the 15th century and thereafter, the (ordained) Grand Master of the Order was nominated by

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