Portugal dissolved the religious orders in the XIX. But still, journeying in Portugal, you can visit the buildings of former monasteries. One of them is the Convent of Christ or merely the Templar’s order monastery in Tomar (see map). To be precise, the Military Order of Christ was the Portuguese successor of the Knights Templar after the latter was dissolved by Pope Clement V in 1312. Unlike in other countries, where the Templars were persecuted and executed, the Portuguese king protected the former knights Templar.

Templars were quite a wealthy order. You can see that visiting the monks’ cells. Each of them, as well as each of the novices,  had a separate room. In winter, each room was heated thanks to a heating system pushing hot air between walls.

The church /chapel is of a bit unusual construction of Charola – a round church, where the altar is located in the center of a round building. The guide told us that it was even possible for knight monks to participate in a mass while sitting on horses.

A HISTORICAL NOTE

The Tomar Monastery was founded in 1160 by Gualdim Pais, the Grand Master of the Knights Templar in Portugal, it was established following the Christian reconquest of the land from the Moors. During its time under the Templars, the monastery served as a stronghold and a center for learning and arts, notably featuring the Charola, a round church influenced by the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, highlighting the Templars’ connections to the Holy Land. The dissolution of the Knights Templar in 1312 led to a significant transition for the monastery. In 1319, the Order of Christ was established, inheriting the assets of the Templars in Portugal. This transition, facilitated by King Dinis of Portugal, saw the Order of Christ become a key supporter of Portugal’s maritime explorations during the Age of Discovery. This era brought significant expansions and architectural transformations to the monastery, particularly under the influence of Prince Henry the Navigator and King Manuel I. The addition of the Manueline style window in the Chapter House during this period is a notable example, reflecting Portugal’s maritime prowess. However, the monastery’s fortunes waned, suffering from neglect, damage during the Napoleonic invasions, and the devastating 1755 Lisbon earthquake. It wasn’t until the 19th and 20th centuries that concerted restoration efforts were undertaken to preserve its architectural and historical integrity.