Tomar Portugal

Former headquarters of the Order of the Templars, Tomar is a city of great charm, for its artistic and cultural wealth. The maximum exponent is in the Convento de Cristo, one of the most important works of the Renaissance in Portugal.

Templar castle: https://youtu.be/GBIMDp7keBA
Convent of Christ: https://youtu.be/uKIT96yQO28

Whatever the reason for visiting the city, going up to the Templar castle and discovering the monumental work of the Convento de Cristo is essential. Charola is the oldest part. This Templar oratory was built in the 19th century. XII, as well as the castle, which at the time was the most modern and advanced military device in the kingdom, inspired by the fortifications of the Holy Land. It was transformed into a main chapel during the reconstruction ordered by D. Manuel I, in the 19th century. XVI, when the complex gained the architectural splendor that is still preserved today and which justified its classification as a World Heritage Site.

From the Convent, you can walk down the Mata dos Sete Montes to the historic center. Going down the road, we see the Chapel of Nossa Senhora da Conceição, a small Renaissance jewel, the work of the Portuguese João de Castilho who also worked at the Convent.

Next, you have to visit Tomar. The oldest, medieval urban area is organized in a cross, oriented by the cardinal points and having a convent at each end. Praça da República, with the Mother Church dedicated to São João Baptista, marks the center, with the hill of Castelo and Convento de Cristo to the west. In the streets around you can find traditional shops and the oldest cafe where you can enjoy the delights of local pastries: almond and chila queijadas and the traditional Slices de Tomar, made only with egg yolks and cooked in a double boiler in a very special pot, invented by a city coppersmith in the middle of the last century.

To the south, the Convento de São Francisco, where you can currently visit the curious Museum of Matches and, to the north, the former Convento da Anunciada. To the east, on the site of the current Levada Museum, we see the old mills and mills that worked with the force of the Nabão River that runs through the city. On one of the banks, there is the Convent of Santa Iria and in that direction, a little further away, the Church of Santa Maria do Olival, where the tombs of several Templars are located, including that of Gualdim Pais, the first master, who died in 1195.

The whole city was organized from this nucleus, also the stage of one of the biggest traditional events, the Festa dos Tabuleiros.

In addition to having witnessed the struggles of the Christian Reconquest, in the century. XII, Tomar preserves an interesting testimony of the Hebrew religion, the ancient Synagogue of the century. XV, today the Luso-Hebrew Museum of Abraão Zacuto, dedicated to the distinguished fourteenth century astronomer and mathematician. Located on the old Rua da Judiaria, it has a valuable documentary and epigraphic collection. Note the holes that can be seen in each corner and that indicate the placement of clay jars on the wall to increase the acoustic conditions of the space.

To the points of interest already mentioned, there is the Núcleo de Arte Contemporânea, where the collection of one of the most important Portuguese art historians of the century is kept. XX, Professor José-Augusto França.

To rest from the cultural tour, there is nothing like a break at Mouchão Park. It is a cool place, where you can see the Mouchão Wheel, a wooden hydraulic wheel. It is an ex-libris of the city and evokes the times when the mills, mills and cultivation areas along the river contributed to Tomar's economic prosperity.

But there are also reasons to stroll nearby, such as Castelo de Bode, one of the largest reservoirs in the country, where you can take a quiet cruise with lunch on board or opt for a variety of water sports. Also like the small islet of the Tagus River where the Castle of Almourol is located or the riverside town of Dornes, for those who want to deepen their visit to the Templar places in the region. For a more complete itinerary, we suggest the World Heritage Tours - “In the Heart of Portugal”.