Convent of Christ
The Convent of Christ is located in the city of Tomar, less than 30km from Torres Novas.
In 1983 UNESCO declared the monument a World Heritage Site, considering it a unique jewel in the history of the West. The construction of the Templar castle and the Convent of the Order of Christ took place between the 12th and 17th centuries and has one of the most expressive elements in the history of Portuguese architecture. Examples of this are the Romantic Charola in the church, the cloister of D. João III and the famous Manueline window in the Chapter Room.
The historic and architectural complex with its seven cloisters and several monastic outbuildings also borders the Mata dos Sete Montes, a space of great natural and scenic value.
The Templar Castle and the Convent of the Knights of Christ in Tomar were built on top of a Roman religious site. This fact makes the architectural complex a monument with seven centuries of Portuguese history and great moments in the history of the West.
The Convent of Christ has elements of Romantic art with the Templars, as well as Gothic and Manueline art with the Discoveries period. It also has elements of Renaissance art during the Reform of the Order and later with Mannerism and Baroque in the ornaments (details) of its architectures.
The Convent of Christ has its origins in the beginning of the kingdom of Portugal and in the Templars who were then in the Iberian Peninsula, at the time dominated by the occupation of the Arabs. The Templars, who would deal with the formation of new Christian kingdoms in the Iberian Peninsula, came to Portugal in 1128. For the help they gave in the conquest of Santarém and Lisbon, the Templars would receive from D. Afonso Henriques an extended territory between Coimbra and Santarém and it was in this region that the Castle and Vila de Tomar were founded. Due to the persecutions of the Templars by the King of France, in 1312 the Order of the Templars was extinguished by Pope Clement V. Despite this, D. Diniz managed to keep the Templars under another name and in 1319 the Militia of Our Lord Jesus Christ was established.
The round-plan temple built by the Templars is based and inspired by the church that Emperor Constantine built over the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem. Over time, a huge convent was built around the Templar Church. It has four large cloisters, an infirmary and a 6 km long aqueduct built by the Spanish King Philip III.