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History
The Convent of Christ (Convento de Cristo) in Tomar is a vast monumental complex which stretches more than 7 km from Tomar Castle to the Convent aquaduct.
Work on building Tomar Castle began in 1160 by order of Dom Gualdim Pais, a Knight of the Order of the Temple, to whom Portugal's first king, Afonso Henriques, granted the lands and permission to occupy and settle the area.
The Templar's Oratory, or Charola, was built at the same time and finished in 1190.
After the Order of the Knights Templars was dissolved, in its place was created the Order of Christ, which, administered by Prince Henry the Navigator and benefitting from the knowledge and technology inherited from the Knights Templar, played an instrumental role in the epic achievement of the Portuguese maritime discoveries.
Architects such as João de Castilho, Diogo de Arruda, Diogo de Torralva and Filipe Terzi, among others, attempted to express the power of the Order of Christ in the Convent's architecture, creating an exuberant mixture of styles in which Manueline stands out, and of which the Window of the Chapter House (Janela do Capitulo) is the finest example.
First Millennium
Since archaeo-historical times, the geography of the region around Tomar has been conducive to human settlement, with the valley and topography emerging as key factors in attracting people to the area. (...)
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A Ordem do Templo
At the end of the 11th century, Palestine was in a state of chaos and anarchy, making pilgrimages to the holy places an immensely dangerous ordeal. Pilgrims and other travellers had to negotiate roads infested with brigands who not only robbed, but murder (...)
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A Ordem de Cristo
Nasce em Portugal a 14 de Março de 1319, por bula Ad ea ex quibus do Papa João XXII, a pedido do rei D. Dinis que, com esta hábil diligência diplomática, evitou a alienação dos bens da Ordem do Templo, extinta em 1312 pela bula de Clemente V, Vox in Excel (...)
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pós 1834
In similarity to other ecclesiastical lands, the abolition of the religious orders led to the sale of parts of the Convent of Christ. These were acquired by the Costa Cabral family, whose influence can be seen in the building's adaptation to the role of r (...)
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Costa Cabral
António Bernardo da Costa Cabral (Algodres, 9 May 1803 - Oporto, 1 September 1889), 1st earl and 1st marquis of Tomar, and more simply known as Costa Cabral, was a Portuguese politician. Among other positions, he was a member of parliament (...)
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Seminary of Overseas Missions
Created in 1922, the seminary occupied part of the Convent of Christ, above all the west wing, cloisters (Claustro dos Corvos and Claustro da Micha), refectory, (...)
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Regional Military Hospital nº 3
With its closure in 1993, the support for the sick and infirm provided by the Convent of Christ since the 17th century came to an end. (...)
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