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The town of Tomar was established in 1159 on land granted to the Knights Templar by the first king of Portugal D. Afonso Henriques. At the time the Order was playing a crucial role in the reconquest of territory from the Muslims and in the formation of the new kingdom of Portugal. By order of Grand Master Gualdim Pais, in 1160 a Castle and a Convent started being built. Tomar would eventually become the headquarters of the Order in Portugal and local legend says that the choice was for mystical reasons and by divine inspiration. Also in 1160, the construction of the church of Santa Maria do Olival was ordered. Grand Master Gualdim Pais, as well as other twenty knights, are buried there. In 1312 King Philip the Fair ordered the arrest and execution of the Knights Templar in France. To keep the wealth of the Knights Templar in the country, King D. Dinis created the Order of Christ. He also persuaded the Pope to allow the fugitive Knights Templar to join the new Order. In 1418 He...

The convent and chapel of Saint Iria, dedicated to the patron saint of Tomar, were built in 1467 by order of D. Mécia Queiroz, a widow who wanted to retreat from society with her two daughters. The convent was separated from the chapel with the extinction of religious orders in Portugal, in 1834. Iria was a girl born in Tomar to a rich family, in the 7th century. She was sent to a convent to be tutored and would only come out to attend Mass or to pray. During one of her outings, a young nobleman named Britald saw her and fell desperately in love with her. He eventually proposed to court her but Iria made it very clear she would never marry as she wanted to become a nun. Meanwhile, her tutor made improper advances at her and when she refused him, he spread the rumour that she was pregnant and gave her a drink to inflate her belly. Learning of his beloved's supposed infidelity Britald hired a mercenary to kill her. A long time after, her body was found uncorrupted d...

The church was built by order of Grand Master Gualdim Pais in the 12th century. It was built as a burial ground for the Knights Templar, and Grand Master Gualdim Pais, the founder of the city of Tomar, is buried there along with more 20 knights. Noteworthy are the magnificent rose window, the lookout tower converted to a bell tower and the 16th-century loggia (covered exterior gallery). Opening hours: 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. (May to Sep.)/ 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. (Oct. to Apr.) Entrance free Back to Tomar

Praça da República is the main square in Tomar and where the Town Hall and the Church of Saint John the Baptist are located. Both buildings were gifted to the city by D. Manuel I, King of Portugal and Grand Master of the Order of Christ (16th century). The statue in the centre belongs to D. Gualdim Pais, fourth Grand Master of the Knights Templar in Portugal and founder of the city, who ordered the construction of the castle , the Convent of the Christ and the church of Santa Maria do Olival, a burial ground for the knights templar. Back to Tomar

The convent of Saint Francis is a Mannerist building set around two cloisters, dating from the 17th century. On the inside of the church, there are very rare sculptures depicting the Calvary, as well as Saint Iria, the patron Saint of Tomar. Opening hours : 10 am to 12 am and 2 pm to 5 pm Entrance free. How to get there:  You can take the train from Lisbon or Oporto. Direct train from Lisbon takes under 2 hours and costs about €10, one way ( Train timetable ). Back to Tomar

The Church of Saint John the Baptist is a late gothic monument from the 15th century featuring some Manueline elements, namely the main doorway. It displays several panels painted in the 1530s by Gregório Lopes, one of Portugal's best Renaissance painters. Opening hours: Jun-Sep 10.00 to 12.00 // 14.00 to 18.00 (17.00 Oct to May) Entrance free How to get there: You can take the train from Lisbon or Oporto. Direct train from Lisbon takes under 2 hours and costs about €10, one way ( Train timetable ). Back to Tomar

The origin of Tomar Castle is closely linked to the beginning of the Portuguese kingdom and the knights Templar, that took an active role in the formation of the new kingdom. Following the extinction of the Order, King D. Dinis, wishing to keep the Knights Templar and their assets under an Order circumscribed to his kingdom, established the Order of Christ in 1319. In 1420 the Master of the Order of Christ, Henry the Navigator, transformed the existing military house into a convent. At the beginning of the 16th century, under king Manuel I the convent was extended and decorated in the characteristic Manueline style, which evokes the Age of Discoveries. The convent was finished, with the construction of the 6 km long aqueduct, under Philip I (II of Spain). Opening hours : Oct-May 9h00 to 17h00 (18h00 Jun-Sep). Closed on Jan 1, Easter Sunday, May 1 and Dec 25. Entrance fee : €6 How to get there:  You can take the train from Lisbon or Oporto. Direct train from Lisbon t...