Project

King Manuel I erected a large monastery close to the site where Henry the Navigator had built a church dedicated to Santa Maria de Belém in the fifteenth century. The monastery, given to the Order of St. Jerome, which had strong connections to the monarchy, became known as Jerónimos Monastery. (...)

King Manuel I erected a large monastery close to the site where Henry the Navigator had built a church dedicated to Santa Maria de Belém in the fifteenth century. The monastery, given to the Order of St. Jerome, which had strong connections to the monarchy, became known as Jerónimos Monastery. The monastery’s cloister served the community well and was a serene place for prayer, meditation, and leisure for the monks. Designed by Diogo de Boitaca, who commenced the work in the early sixteenth century, it was continued by João de Castilho from 1517 onwards and completed by Diogo de Torralva in 1540–1541. Due to its significance and symbolism, the cloister is today one of the most important examples of Manueline, or Portuguese late Gothic, architecture. Vaulted ceilings and a sophisticated decorative campaign make the monastery an important example of ecclesiastical and royal commissions of the era. Of particular note are images from the Passion, the Cross of the Order of Christ, the royal coat of arms, botanical motifs, and late medieval images of beasts that all combine to chronicle the religious purpose of the monastery, its royal associations, and highlight the exceptional artists employed at the monastery.