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Mosteiro dos Jeronimos (Jeronimos Monastery)

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Bobbi
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Editor Pick

My Favourite Building in the Whole of Europe

  • March 27, 2009
  • Rated 5 of 5 by Praskipark from Warsaw, Poland
My Favourite Building in the Whole of Europe

The Moisteiro dos Jeronimos
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Mosteiro dos Jeronimos or Hieronymite Monastery in Belem is by far one of the most interesting buildings in Lisbon. The monastery and Torre de Belem watchtower are unique memorial's to Portugal's Golden Age which followed after the Voyages of Discovery. Lisbon was badly hit by the 1755 earthquake but these magnificent buildings managed to survive and didn't topple into dust.

This is one fabulous building and for some reason reminds me of the Parliament Building in Budapest probably because of the Gothic aspects to both buildings even though they were built at different times. The long side of the monastery now overlooks lawns and gardens, but the complex originally stood by the water's edge near Restelo harbour, from where the Portuguese explorers set sail. Before the monastery was built, a small chapel existed on the site and it was in this chapel that Vasco da Gama prayed before leaving for India in July 1497 and where the King of Portugal welcomed him back in September 1499. With a discovery of a sea route to India, the King commissioned the building of a monastery on the site of the chapel and the foundation stone was laid in 1500. It was not finished at the time of the King's death in 1521. Work stopped in 1572 and the project was never completed, a fate shared by many other grand schemes. Consequently, the building cannot be attributed to any one architect but it is known that Joao de Castilho was most influential in its design.

One of the most striking features of the monastery is the south doorway. Like a huge monstrance it rises to a great height of over 32 metres and it is the most ornate entrance of the Manueline period. Here you will see intricately decorated gables, pinnacles and sculptured figures, some depicting the life of St. Hieronymus. Castilho, a Spaniard, was the famous Manueline architect at the time although he changed his style later on to the Plateresco style. This style is lavishly decorative to give an appearance of silver.

The main entrance lies almost hidden away under the west porch. The west doorway is the work of the Frenchman Nicolas de Chanterene who was also responsible for work on the marble altar in the monastery that has now been incorporated into the Palacio da Pena in Sintra. Here, the Renaissance style takes over from the Gothic style and illustrates a scene where King Manuel 1 and his wife Maria of Castille are kneeling in the company of St. Hieronymus and John the Baptist, beneath the scenes from Bethlehem. Close up the carvings are immaculate and the mind boggles, when you think of the time and patience taken to complete such magnificent work. I love the texture of the stonework which I think is limestone. Obviously some of the stone is discoloured through pollution but that is to be expected with any of these great buildings.

The interior is quite deceptive because it is a lot wider than you think it is. It is very ornate with gothic naves and side aisles stretching from the west doorway to the choir in the east. The roof is supported by octagonal columns and covered with delicate Renaissance embellishments. However, the choir on the other hand is quite plain which I find very strange. I think I might have mentioned before in my writing I am very fond of graveyard and burial memorabilia and was a little disappointed to find very little in the interior of the monastery. However, there does stand a marble pantheon, where the sarcophagi of Manuel 1, his son, Jaoa III and their wives rest on stone elephants. This is a sharp contrast indeed to the ornamented nave. In the southern section, an empty grave awaits the last King of the Avis dynasty, Sebastiao, who went walkabout in Morocco. The famous, and a great poet, in my opinion, Luis de Camoes, who died of the plague and was buried in a mass grave, is commemmorated by an empty sarcophagus. The tomb of another Portuguese hero, Vasco da Gama, can also be found here under the gallery.

Although I love the building in all its glory I have to say that the cloisters are some of the finest Manueline architecture I have ever seen in Portugal.They are magnificent and every one has been carved differently. Some are decorated with coils of rope, sea monsters and some with coral and other strange sea motifs. This beautiful work is evocative of that era and the time of world exploration of the sea.The beautiful arch forms are enchanting and you experience a wonderful feeling of serenity as you walk through the arches The arches are reflected in a pool and to me it resembles a palace courtyard built for a rich and extravagant Prince and his courtiers more than a walkway for devout monks.

This is one of my favourite buildings in the whole of Europe and I thoroughly recommend it to any traveller visiting Belem in Lisbon.

Opening Times: May - Sept (Tues - Sun) - 10am - 6pm
Oct - April (Tues - Sun) 10am - 5pm
Cost - Church is free, Cloisters 3 Euros

From journal Biding my Time in Belem

Editor Pick

Monastery of Jeronimos

  • September 19, 2007
  • Rated 5 of 5 by LenR from Townsville, Australia
Monastery of Jeronimos

The Jeronimos Monastery is to me by far the most impressive symbol of Portugal's power and wealth during the Age of Discovery. King Manuel I started it in 1502 on the site of a hermitage founded by Prince Henry the Navigator, where Vasco da Gama and his crew spent their last night in Portugal in prayer before leaving for India. It was built to commemorate Vasco Da Gama's voyage and to give thanks to the Virgin Mary for its success.

Vasco da Gama's tomb was placed inside by the entrance, as was the tomb of poet Luis de Camões, author of the epic The Lusiads in which he glorifies the triumphs of Da Gama and his compatriots. Other great figures in Portuguese history are also entombed here, like King Manuel and King Sebastião, and poets Fernando Pessoa and Alexandre Herculano.

This 16th-century monastery is one of the few surviving examples of Manueline-style architecture, named after Manuel I. This style of architecture, just seen in Portugal, is an ornate blend of late Gothic and Renaissance, with signs of seafaring, nature and the monarchy (rope, flora, fauna and coats of arms) sculpted into the columns.

The monastery once housed monks of the Order of Saint Jerome, whose prayers were intended to safeguard the seafaring Portuguese on their expeditions. The building is now listed (along with the Torre de Belém) as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is a spectacular structure with high arches, impressive columns, and ornate spires.

Begin by observing the south-facing facade, whose main feature of interest is the portal, the work of Joao de Castilho, surmounted by a tympanum of carved stone, including low reliefs showing scenes from the life of St. Jerome and the royal coat of arms. In the centre is a statue of Prince Henry the Navigator wielding a sword and, at the upper level, a statue of Our Lady of Belem, covered by a finely carved canopy.

Now enter the church and see the two tombs of Vasco da Gama and the poet Luis de Camoes near the door. Beyond lies the spacious and beautiful hall church, designed by the architect Joao de Castilho, with its spectacular network vaulting that has no arches and is supported on finely carved columns.

The cloisters are magnificent, each column differently carved with coils of rope, sea monsters, coral, and other sea motifs evocative of that time of world exploration at sea. The central courtyard is a magically peaceful place except on the busiest of days.

The monastery opens 10am to 5pm daily except Mondays. Entry to the church is free while there is a charge for the cloisters.

From journal Lisbon- Monumental Belem

Editor Pick

Mosteiro dos Jeronimos

  • July 6, 2007
  • Rated 5 of 5 by Jose Kevo from Middle-of-Nowhere, Missouri
Mosteiro dos Jeronimos

The grandeur of Portugal's Age of Discovery is represented no place better than Mosteiro dos Jerónimos, and how! I couldn't wait to get back here, a second visit as good as the first with plenty of unique finds still probably missed because of so much intricacy.

Standing in its ponderous presence was humbling, spine-tingling. First suggestion: Don't be in such a hurry to enter. The Manueline-style of architecture permeates outer realms with exquisite detail. Embellishments around entries are almost overwhelming; especially the nativity frieze which crowns the west portal doubling as visitors' entrance.

The Nave is astounding with how ornately-carved, slender columns rise 25m to support one of the most beautiful vaulted ceilings in all of Europe. Stained-glass windows naturally illuminate, radiating equally on a sunny and cloudy visits. The divine treasures are something to behold; a sense of greatness further confirmed by all the notables tucked-away, including Vasco de Gama. Some tombs are classic works of art, while others are bolstered on the backs of elephants.

The Cloisters are supposedly the main attraction, and requires an entry fee. Crowds, undetectable in largeness of the Cathedral, became rowdily obvious in this smaller area. Gardens and Manueline-adorned corridors are impressive by themselves, but I was more blown-away with the nave. However, access to the real highlight only comes with a Cloisters admission.

Find the unmarked staircase (ask if you have to) that ascends to the Choir Balcony in back of the nave. Overview photo opportunities are matchless, but the real gem is a 16th-century wooden carving of Christ on the cross. This realistic masterpiece is compelling from every angle, and seizes full-attention even with the cavernous interior beyond.

-- Tram 15, from Praça do Comércio, takes about 20-minutes and has the closest drop-off points. Local trains departing from the Cais do Sodré station are also quick and convenient, but require more walking from the Belém station.

-- Shortcut for including Monument of the Discoveries and Torre de Belém involves finding the underground tunnel, which passes beneath the busy highway. Entry is hard to spot in the expansive Praça do Império, but it's between the large fountain and parking areas.

--The Belém District is loaded with other attractions, including the Museu Nacional de Arqueologia and combined Museu de Marinha and Museu das Crianças (Children), which are all part of Mosteiro's elongated wing. A sudden downpour chased me into the Maritime facility, which I recommend for rounding-out the Age of Discovery experience. Not only is this the place where all the great explorers took mass before embarking, the model ship and nautical-related collections were surprisingly interesting.

A Planetarium, Botanical Garden, Cultural Activities Center, the Presidential and National Palaces, and highly-touted Museu Nacional dos Coches are also nearby to more than fill an entire day.

-- All of these facilities, including Torre de Belém and Monument to the Discoveries, are Closed on Monday.

From journal Lisbon's New Age of Discovery

Editor Pick

Mosteiro dos Jeronimos

  • April 21, 2006
  • Rated 5 of 5 by pabrams52 from Los Angeles, California
Mosteiro dos Jeronimos

This is one of those jaw-dropping sights you simply must take in. The complicated but exquisite detail in its design is unique, referred to as the "Manueline" style. For sheer size, this beautiful monastery is humbling. Take a close look at the detail at the entrance outside, which seems to make a overwhelming statement before you even enter the church. The cloister area is a peaceful and magnificent courtyard where you can reflect on its beauty and its creation against a beautiful blue sky above. There is a wonderful time line presentation in the library on the second floor of the cloister where the monastery has constructed a grand perspective of history over the last 500-plus years. It is a quick and fascinating "run through history" and provides valuable Portuguese history.

From journal A Quick Peek at Lisbon

Editor Pick

Mosteiro dos Jeronimos

  • September 9, 2005
  • Rated 5 of 5 by Owen Lipsett from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Mosteiro dos Jeronimos

The finest building in a city full of enchanting edifices, the Mosteiro dos Jerónimos is also Lisbon’s greatest work of Manueline architecture, the distinctively Portuguese style marrying Gothic and Moorish influences. Rather appropriately, it was commissioned in 1502 by Dom Manuel I (1495-1521), from whom the style takes its name, fulfilling his vow to build a monastery if Vasco da Gama returned safely from his 1497 voyage to India. The project itself was funded by a 5% tax on the fabulously profitable spice trade that resulted. The architect Diogo de Boitaca, considered by many to be the progenitor of the Manueline style, deserves most of the credit for the building, although the Spaniard João de Castilho (who took over the project in 1517) designed the ornate entrance.

The central figure within the complex tableau above the entrance to the monastery’s church is Prince Henry the Navigator (1394-1460), who masterminded Portugal’s rise as a maritime power by establishing a school of navigation at Sagres and by using the resources of the Order of Christ (of which he was Grand Master) to finance expeditions. It’s singularly appropriate that Henry, a devout Catholic who remained chaste his entire life and ran his navigation school as a virtual monastic order, should be honored in this way. (He is likewise given precedence at the nearby Monument to the Discoveries.) Just inside are the tombs of his two greatest intellectual heirs: da Gama (1468-1523), who established Portugal’s lucrative spice trade with India by sailing around the Cape of Good Hope, and Luís de Camões (1527-1570) whose epic poem Os Lusiados chronicled Portugal’s voyages of discovery and has come to be considered the country’s national epic.

The church is more than just a mausoleum (it continues to be used for mass), and the humbleness of these heroes’ graves is entirely consistent with the careful balance the architects struck between grandeur and intricate detail. The immense nave is split by six bulky columns that support its ceiling through a series of ever-finer branches of stone-work that strongly resemble palm fronds. They’re perhaps the best illustration that can be found of the Manueline style’s simultaneous reliance upon Gothic forms and further refinement of them by the addition of intricate stonework drawn from Moorish buildings.

Still more beautiful carving is on display in the magnificent cloisters (well worth the €3 entry fee), which I consider the most beautiful of their kind in Europe. The synergy between the architects’ subject matter and style is readily apparent as the curves within the delicate vaulting closely resemble the ropes, waves, and anchors that were the tools of the navigators’ trade. The rounded corner canopies offer the ideal places under which to stand and marvel at the delicately twisting series of arches that line the courtyard. Stepping back inside the church itself, the choir offers an excellent vantage point for appreciating its simultaneous spaciousness and intimacy.

If you see one church in Lisbon (or Portugal), this should be it!

Further information http://www.mosteirojeronimos.pt

From journal Lovely, Languorous Lisbon

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