Jerónimos Monastery
Mosteiro dos Jerónimos
The masterpiece of Manueline architecture, where Vasco da Gama and the poet Camões rest, with cloister carvings as intricate as lace. A UNESCO World Heritage Site.
King Manuel I began building the Jerónimos Monastery in 1501, funded by the spice trade taxes (the “pepper tax”) brought back from Vasco da Gama's sea route to India. Construction took about a century. It is the finest example of Manueline style, a late Portuguese Gothic style known for maritime motifs such as ropes, coral and armillary spheres. The monastery was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983.
Highlights include the Church of Santa Maria (free), where a net-like vault rests on six slender octagonal stone columns, like a palm grove. At the entrance are the sarcophagi of the navigator Vasco da Gama and the national poet Luís de Camões. Flanking the high altar are the tombs of King Manuel I's family. The cloister (about 12 euros, free on the first Sunday of each month, or about 12 euros for a combined ticket with Belém Tower) is the highlight of the complex. Its two storeys of arcades are covered in carvings of flowers, sea monsters and navigational symbols, which change with the light throughout the day. The cloister also holds the tomb of the writer Fernando Pessoa. The west wing houses the National Archaeology Museum, and the east wing is the Maritime Museum, with its ship models well worth seeing (about 7 euros).
In 1985, Portugal and Spain signed their treaties of accession to the European Community here, and in 2007 the EU's Treaty of Lisbon was also signed here. Getting there is the same as for Belém Tower: tram 15E, bus 728, or the train to Belém station. The monastery faces the Praça do Império gardens, and an underground passage leads to the riverbank. To avoid queues at security, buy timed tickets in advance on the official website (patrimoniocultural.gov.pt). Tour groups crowd the site between 11:00 and 15:00 in peak season. After your visit, walk three minutes to Pastéis de Belém to queue for custard tarts. The 1837 recipe came from monks at this monastery.
Opening hours
Oct–Apr 9:30 am–5:30 pm; May–Sep 9:30 am–6:00 pm (last entry 30 min before closing); closed Mondays
Nearby sights
- Pastéis de Belém
- Monument of the Discoveries
- National Coach Museum
- MAAT – Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology
- Belém Tower
- LX Factory
- Sanctuary of Christ the King
- National Museum of Ancient Art