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| Tomar is a historic town, was in its origins the Portuguese headquarters of the Knight Templar Order. It was founded in 1160 by Gualdim Pais, Grand-master of the Templars in Portugal. In Tomar you can find a unique collection of historical buildings and monument representing almost all periods of the Portuguese history. |
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| The Convent of Christ, classified in the UNESCO's International Heritage list, is one of the most famous Portuguese monuments. Tomar is located in the centre of Portugal, in a pleasant valley crossed by Nabão river, where we can find remains of ancient civilizations, like the Romans, the Visigoth and the Moors. |
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Tomar's main attraction are the Convent of Christ and the Knight Templar Castle built over a period of six hundred years, from the twelfth to the seventeenth centuries. In 1983 this large monument was classified in UNESCO's International Heritage list. The convent is an exhibition of architectonic styles from several periods. The "Charola"(twelfth century), and the "Capítulo" window (sixteenth century) are the most representative features of the covent. Halfway down the hill stands the church of Nossa Senhora da Conceição (sixteenth-century) with its early Renaissance style. It is also worth visiting the Synagogue (fifteenth century) and the church of São João Baptista (fifteenth century) in the old town. Crossing the river you can find the church of Santa Maria do Olival (twelfth century), the oldest church in Tomar. |
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Tomar, founded in 1160 played an important role in the Christian mission that led to the formation of Portugal. Being the Portuguese headquarters of the Knight Templar Order, the history of Tomar is deeply connected to the history of this military order, and to the history of the Order of Christ, its successor.
It was an important location for several historic personalities like Prince Dom Henrique and King Manuel I, who lived here and influenced urban organization, the economics, and the monuments architectonic style. The Convent of Christ reflects this historic importance. |
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More information:http://www.tomar.com.pt/about_en.htm |
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