The Monastery of Jerónimos, a masterpiece of 16th-century Portuguese architecture, is a National Monument and UNESCO World Heritage Site (1983). It is situated in one of Lisbon’s most prestigious neighbourhoods, overlooking the Tagus River in a historically and architecturally significant location. On the monastery’s three-hundred-meter-long, magnificent front is the Church’s richly adorned South Portal, which features images of Portugal’s patron saint, St. Michael the Archangel (on top), and Our Lady of Belém or Our Lady of Reis (below) (at the center).
The Monastery of Jerónimos (or the Royal Monastery of Saint Mary of Belém) was founded by King D. Manuel I at the beginning of the 16th century and is symbolically associated with one of the most important periods of national recall. The first stone was laid on the symbolic date of 6 January (Kings’ Day) in 1501 or 1502, and work began precisely at the turn of the century. The monastery was given to the Hieronymus monks, who remained there until the second quarter of the nineteenth century. It is a real “chant” to the Manueline style, as evidenced by the abundance of religious, nautical, and regal aspects preserved in stone. Apart from its Manueline cathedral, the monastic complex still has the majority of the beautiful features that led to its international renown, such as its 16th-century cloister.
The Jerónimos Monastery in Belem is the personification of Portugal’s exuberance during the Age of Discoveries. It was one of the first and certainly grandest instances of Manueline architecture to be seen anywhere in Portugal. This is evidenced by the monastery’s UNESCO World Heritage designation in 1983.
Building an elaborate and vast structure like the Jerónimos Monastery would have been too expensive. It is no coincidence, however, that the monastery was built to express gratitude for the success of Vasco da Gama’s first expedition to India. It is even believed that the spices and other things he brought back were valuable enough to pay for the construction. Whether real or not, the money came from Portugal’s interests in Africa, Asia, and South America.
That journey occurred in 1498, under the reign of King Manuel I, and work began in 1502 to fulfil his pledge. The chosen location, on the banks of the River Tejo, superseded a modest hermitage consecrated to St. Mary in the 15th century by Prince Henry the Navigator. The monastery was originally designed by the French architect Diogo de Boitaca. As the creator of the Igreja de Jesus in Setbal, he is often regarded as the father of Manueline architecture.
João de Castilho, a Spanish architect, took up work on the monastery in 1517. He is responsible for the building’s magnificently ornate, 100-foot-high (33-meter) main entryway. This is Manueline styling at its finest, with a variety of statues, including one of Henry the Navigator.
The monastery’s interior is equally impressive. The main church nave is made up of massive, artistically carved pillars that support the vaulted roof. But it’s the cloisters that really take your breath away. There is rarely a surface on each floor that is not covered with some type of Manueline sculpture. In honour of Da Gama’s expeditions, the pillars and arches are carved with rope coils, sea creatures, palms, and other nautical motifs.
The monastery, which was completed in 1600, withstood the 1755 earthquake with very minor damage to the high altar. The Mosteiro de Santa Maria de Belém has always housed monks of the Order of St. Jerome (or Jerónimos). However, it was planned to be much more than just a grand monastery; it was to be the physical embodiment of the Age of Discovery as well as a mausoleum for King Manuel and his descendants. Along with King Manuel, the monastery houses the tombs of various important historical people from Portugal. The poets Fernando Pessoa, Alexandre Herculano, and, most aptly, Luis Cames, author of The Lusiads, a story about Vasco da Gama’s expeditions, are among those honoured. But the grave of Vasco da Gama, located just inside the main gate, takes centre stage.
The building was taken over by the state in 1833 as part of the Monasteries Dissolution, and the Hieronymite monks who had occupied it for 400 years were forced to leave. The building, today known as the “Real Casa Pia de Lisboa,” was mostly empty, and its condition deteriorated. However, in 1860, work began on a massive restoration that would include not just repairs to the original structure but also the construction of many elements, such as a new rose window and towers. In 1940, the land in front of the monastery was transformed into a vast formal garden as part of another round of improvements.
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- Address:
- Praça do Império 1400-206 Lisbon
- GPS:
- Lat: 38.697890839496225 Long: -9.206703901290894
- Site:
- http://www.patrimoniocultural.gov.pt/pt/museus-e-monumentos/dgpc/m/mosteiro-dos-jeronimos/
Train : Belém
Urban Bus Station: 727, 28, 729, 714 and 751
Electric: 15
Boat: Belém river station
