Jerónimos Monastery

Lisbon, Portugal

The Jerónimos Monastery or Hieronymites Monastery is one of the most prominent examples of the Portuguese Late Gothic Manueline style of architecture in Lisbon. It was classified a UNESCO World Heritage Site, along with the nearby Tower of Belém, in 1983.

The Jeronimos Monastery is the most impressive symbol of Portugal's power and wealth during the Age of Discovery. King Manuel I built 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.

Jeronimos Monastery Cloisters The monastery was populated by monks of the Order of Saint Jerome, whose spiritual job was to give guidance to sailors and pray for the king's soul. It is one of the great triumphs of European Gothic, with much of the design characterized by elaborate sculptural details and maritime motifs. This style of architecture became known as Manueline, a style of art that served to glorify the great discoveries of the age.

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. Here is also the entrance to the former refectory that has beautiful reticulated vaulting and tile decoration on the walls depicting the Biblical story of Joseph.

The church interior is spacious with octagonal piers richly decorated with reliefs, and outside is a garden laid out in 1940 consisting of hedges cut in the shape of various municipal coats of arms of Portugal. In the center is a large fountain also decorated with coats of arms, often illuminated on special occasions.

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Founded: 1502
Category: Religious sites in Portugal

Rating

4.6/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Aurelia Deflandre (8 months ago)
Fantastic piece of history, very well-maintained, clean and preserved. Queues can be very long even during the week. If you are disabled traveler using mobility aids, the monastery is not accessible, there are many stairs. If you have an invisible disability , you can ask a member of staff to accompany you inside and avoid the queues. In order to do this. You must have a disability card or a proof of diagnosis with you. Also note that queuing happens outside in an area that doesn’t provide any shade. You also have to queue twice; once for the monastery and once for the church. If you are able to handle the queues and can make your way inside, it’s absolutely worth it. The ticket kiosk is across from the monastery in the gardens. You can also buy a Lisbo card in the kiosk next to it.
Vivian G (9 months ago)
Breathtaking architecture. I'm glad we came. It was low season for me so there was no really wait. The only thing is the ticket booth to get tickets is some distance away. So best to locate that first before walking awestruck to the entrance of the monastery like I did just to have to turn around and go back.
Hsun-Yen Wu (9 months ago)
You must visit this beautiful monastery if you come to Belem. The sculptures are delicate. It's a good place to take a lot of pictures ? the church next to it is free for entry.
Jeff Eng (10 months ago)
This is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and for good reason. The architecture, the scale, the details on everything, the beauty of it all... they are amazing and truly awe-inspiring. Even from the outside, you can tell this is a truly special place. There's a lot to see here, so to be clear, you can go into the church for free, which was about a 5-10 min wait for us during the mid-afternoon (around 3pm). You can also go into the cloister, which is a separate line and requires a paid ticket. The wait for the cloister was about 1.5-2 hours at that point, so if this is a must see on your checklist, go early in the morning to minimize your wait in line. There is zero shade anywhere close to the monastery, so the wait in line is with the full sun beating down upon you for the entire time. At least at Belem Tower, there are nearby trees where the kids can wait in the shade and they are still nearby while I was in line. Here, not so much. Just be prepared. Perhaps the cloister is super amazing and worth it for some people, but I thought the church was pretty fantastic, so it's worth it to see that much at least.
Nabil R (11 months ago)
Be sure to visit all three areas — the cloister, the gardens and the (free entrance) church. A morning visit is best as there are less people and the light just hits the stained glass perfectly. Tickets can be purchased at the info center in the park right across. As of Dec2023, it is 10 for adults and 5 for students. Additional activities in this area include the Modern Art Museum right next door and the Monument to the Discoveries.
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