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Why the
Jeronimos Monastery
is special
This sizable religious complex is a splendid showcase for Portugal's celebrated architectural Manueline style.
It employs a combination of late Gothic, early Renaissance, and Moorish styles. And the sculpting is prolific and (some say) excessively detailed.
Cloisters
They are artistically sculpted, twin tiered, and sizable (each side measures 55 meters or 180 feet in length).
South Portal
This soaring main entrance to the church is extravagantly decorated with stone sculptures.
Church interior
It's huge and sports a magnificent rib-vaulted ceiling.
Other
Jeronimos Monastery
attractions
They include Vasco da Gama's tomb Royal tombs The dramatic impact of the site's long and eye-catching front facade.
History in brief
Jeronimos Monastery was built to honor Vasco da Gama's Age of Discovery voyages, which brought significant honor and wealth to Portugal. Construction began in 1502 and took most of the century to complete.
When monastic orders were outlawed in Portugal in the 1830s, the St Jerome monks (who had run the place for four centuries) packed their bags.
Today, Jeronimos Monastery is no longer consecrated. It's a public museum.
Worthy nearby attractions
Belem Tower (a Hillman Wonder medal winner) National Archaeological Museum Maritime Museum Monument of the Discoveries
Location in Portugal
Lisbon
Alfama
Belem Tower
Jeronimos Monastery
St George's Castle
Near of Lisbon
Alcobaca Monastery
Evora Historic Center
Obidos Castle & Town
Queluz National Palace
Sintra
North of Lisbon
Douro Valley
Oporto Historical Center
South of Lisbon
Algarve Coast
Azores
Madeira Islands
Photo by Osvaldo Gago - CC BY-SA 20
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