What to see / do
Tomar Pillory
The city of Tomar preserves a Baroque Pillory that dates back to the 17th century. At the time, it replaced the primitive Manueline pillory. At present, the Tomar Pillory is situated at the Square (Largo) named after it - Largo do Pelourinho (also known as the place of Várzea Pequena). This is a reconstruction made in 1939-40 of the original pillory, since the primitive one, which was at the bottom of Graça Street, was demolished in 1870. Following the demolition, the original pieces of the pillory got dispersed, having even served as a base for a public lamp. The willingness to reconstruct it led to the recovery of the pieces. The current monument brings together all the original elements, with the exception of the pedestal. This 18th-century pillory is based on a platform of five quadrangular steps and consists of a bulbiform base and shaft. The finish consists of a large iron armillary sphere, over a rustic spire. Since 1933, the Tomar Pillory is a monument classified as property of public interest.
Tomar - Portugal
Chapel of Nossa Senhora da Piedade
The Chapel of Nossa Senhora da Piedade (Our Lady of Mercy), former Chapel of Nossa Senhora do Monte (Our Lady of the Mount), stands on top of a hill, facing the Castle of Tomar and the Convent of Christ. The date of construction of the Chapel dates back to the 14th century. It was built in 1387 by order of Martim Vasques Vilela, Mayor of Óbidos. The Chapel of Nossa Senhora da Piedade was later restored and modified in 1613, by order of the people's judge Bernardo Ortiz Ochoa. This temple has several elements of Gothic style articulated with elements of Mannerist style, resulting from subsequent interventions. The interior of the Chapel is wide and the statue of the Virgin stands out on the rustic carved altar. The walls are decorated with blue and white geometric pattern tiles from the 17th century. Outside, the focus is on the arched gateway, preceded by a porch supported by sober Tuscan columns. The access to the sanctuary is through an incredible staircase of 292 steps, built between 1846 and 1862, that lead to the Chapel square. The worship is celebrated on the first weekend of September, in Tomar. The “Círio de Nossa Senhora da Piedade” is a religious festivity in which the image of the Virgin of Mercy is devotedly carried to the Chapel, in a procession that covers about two kilometers.
Tomar - Portugal
Mouchão Park
On the banks of the Nabão River, in the heart of the historic center of Tomar, the Mouchão Park is a green paradise that contrasts with the city's hustle and bustle. It is a garden area in the middle of the river, a small island connected to the city by footbridges. This is where - next to the dam that exists there, near the entrance to the Park -, there is a huge wooden waterwheel, the Nabão Waterwheel, a large solid structure that used the strength of the river waters to irrigate the surrounding fields and to carry the water to the mills and presses. This hydraulic device was built in 1906 and has been regularly intervened by the Municipality of Tomar for maintenance purposes. The current waterwheel is made of oak as well as wood from olive and walnut trees. Other attractions of the Park are the beautiful bandstand, the sports equipment and, nearby, the cafes and restaurants to regain strength and have something to drink or eat. Next to the Park, there is also a children's playground, the largest in Tomar, which is ideal for the little ones. The Mouchão Park is the perfect choice for those who live in the city or for those who visit it and like to feel the nature, read a good book or simply enjoy an outdoor space.
Tomar - Portugal
Conventual Wall | Sete Montes National Park
The Conventual Wall, known since 1986 as the National Woods of the Seven Hills, is an extensive green area of garden, park and forest, located between the Convent of Christ and the city center. There are 39 green hectares, the lung of Tomar; it was formerly known as The Place of the Seven Hills, precisely for integrating a mountainous massif of seven hills, on one of which the Templar Castle stands out. The first references to the green spaces surrounding the Convent of Christ date from 1490. Originally, the area corresponded to the space within the walls of the Templar Castle. It was only in the 16th century, during the reign of King João III, that all the properties (forests, valleys, olive groves and agricultural land) that surrounded the Convent were purchased. That was how the monks started to have access to an enormous outdoor space that allowed them to be completely enclosed, where in addition to having a place for retreat and prayer, they also had a cultivation area to supply the needs of the Convent. After the extinction of religious orders, the properties of the Order of Christ were sold at public auction, but in 1936, the assets returned to state ownership and two years later, in 1938, the Conventual Wall was transformed into a forest park. Currently, this area is entirely intended for the fruition of the population. Ideal for strolling, relaxing, practicing sports or simply enjoying nature, it has a playground and picnic areas. Amid its abundant vegetation, we are taken on a journey through time and history, when we come across the simple beauty of Charolinha, a stone shelter built in the heart of the Woods, where it is believed the monks would go to be isolated in contemplation and retreat.
Tomar - Portugal
Alvaiázere Palace
The Alvaiázere Palace is located in the historic city center of Tomar, close to the old Várzea Grande. In architectural terms, it is a manor house from the 18th century, with a rectangular plan divided into two floors. Historically, the precise date of construction of the Alvaiázere Palace is not known, but it is known that the Tomar Mercy House (Misericórdia de Tomar) was the owner of the building, when it was rented to Noel le Maitre, in 1771. Noel Le Maitre carried out some works inside the building, in order to make the necessary adaptations to install his socks factory there. Alguns anos mais tarde, em 1789, o imóvel foi vendido ao industrial Jácome Ratton, que juntamente com Thimóteo Lecussan Verdier, procedeu a obras de restauro nas instalações fabris existentes e fundou a Fábrica de Fiação de Tomar. Aí estiveram durante alguns anos, até terem transferido a produção para um novo espaço, tendo o edifício do Palácio ficado destinado apenas aos serviços administrativos da empresa. A few years later, in 1789, the property was sold to the industrial entrepreneur Jácome Ratton. Together with Thimóteo Lecussan Verdier, they undertook restoration works at the existing manufacturing facilities and founded the Tomar Spinning Plant. They stayed there for a few years, until they moved the production to a new, more modern space with the capacity to accommodate a hydraulic spinning unit, while the Palace facilities started being used only by the company's administrative services. After 1869, the Palace was sold to Baron of Alvaiázere, title given by King João VI to Manuel Vieira da Silva Borges e Abreu, in 1818. Since that date, the building has been forever associated with the Baron's memory, preserving this name until the present. In 1914, the Municipality of Tomar bought the property. Until 1975 it functioned as Headquarters of the Military Region of Tomar. That same year, in May, a fire destroyed the building's roof and its interior. After the refurbishment of the building, it became the property of the Ministry of Justice, with some of its services functioning there.
Tomar - Portugal
Convent of Christ and Templar Castle
The Convent of Christ and the Templar Castle form a monumental ensemble unique in its kind. It was here the headquarters of the Order of the Temple until 1314 and of the Order of Christ, from 1357.
Tomar - Portugal
Chapel of Nossa Senhora da Conceição
The Chapel of Nossa Senhora da Conceição (Our Lady of the Conception) is located on the slope that leads to the Castle of the Templars and the Convent of Christ, in Tomar. Its construction was ordered by Frei António de Lisboa in 1541, and the works finished in 1573. It is a masterpiece of the Portuguese Renaissance and was one of the last projects of the Spanish-Portuguese architect João de Castilho, considered one of the most important architects of the Renaissance in Europe. Initially, this temple was intended to be the pantheon of King João III, which ended up never happening, since the monarch died in 1557 and was buried in the Jerónimos Monastery. The fact that the Chapel was originally projected to be a mausoleum probably justifies the original traces of its construction. The Chapel of Nossa Senhora da Conceição is a unique example of Italian classicism in the Iberian Peninsula. With an architecture that evokes the Roman typology of the basilica, it is, in fact, a small Hall Church, with an antechamber and apse. It is a beautiful example of the Renaissance style in Europe, recognized as a national monument since 1910.
Tomar - Portugal
Fundição Tomarense - Núcleo Museológico
Tomar - Portugal
Museum of Matches
In Tomar, there is a unique museum of its kind in Portugal and one of the most original in Europe and in the world: the Museum of Matches. It houses a collection of more than 60 000 match boxes, match labels and matchbooks. The collection was donated in 1980 to the Municipality by the Tomar-born Aquiles da Mota Lima. The Saint Francis Convent has two cloisters; since 1989 one of them hosts the Museum's collection. It all started in 1953, on board a vessel, in which Aquiles da Mota Lima was travelling to London to attend the coronation ceremony of Queen Elizabeth II. On the trip, he met an American woman who collected matchboxes and he promised to send her the most special boxes he would find during his travels. The first two matchboxes in the collection are precisely allusive to the ceremony he was going to, one with the portrait of Queen Isabel II and the other with a crown and the year of the event, 1953. It turns out that Mota da Lima ended up not buying only one sample, but two, thus starting his own collection. And from there, he never stopped. With the contributions and efforts of family and friends, as well as exchanges with other collectors, the collection has reached an impressive dimension. Atualmente, o acervo representa cerca de 127 países do mundo e está distribuído por 7 salas recheadas de surpresas e curiosidades que nos levam numa viagem extraordinária à volta do mundo. Currently, the collection represents about 127 countries in the world and is distributed in 7 rooms filled with surprises and curiosities that take us on an extraordinary journey around the world. At present, the Museum continues to expand the collection through the purchase of boxes and donations.
Tomar - Portugal
House of Cubes | Tomar Center for Studies in Photography
The renovation of the House of Cubes is part of a project to reconvert an inactive infrastructure which is especially interesting in social and economic terms in the urban fabric of Tomar. Located in the historic city center, by the Nabão riverside, the building has been subject to successive changes and use over time. Originally conceived as a storage and counting house for agricultural products used as rent payments to religious orders, the House of Cubes got its name from the old capacity measurement units, the bushel and the almude, at the time commonly known as “cubes”. Later on, it became a military facility and afterwards it was adapted to an office building of the old Mendes Godinho factories. The truth is that the House of Cubes has survived the times, regaining a new role in the city within the Polis program as the Center for Environmental Monitoring and Interpretation. The rehabilitation of this space into a new cultural equipment of the city allowed it to host the Tomar Center for Studies in Photography, in 2018. This happened following a partnership between the Polytechnic Institute of Tomar and the Municipality of Tomar, with a view to the development of teaching, research and training activities as well as other related undertakings, in the scientific, technical and artistic areas of photography. Casa dos Cubos has an exhibition space and a cafeteria with a terrace overlooking the Nabão River.
Tomar - Portugal
Tourism Office Building | 16th Century Corner Window
The Tourism Office Building, in Tomar, deserves mention for the relevance and architectural originality of its construction and for the important detail of the 16th century corner Window present in the edifice, protected and classified as a national monument. Under the responsibility of the architect from Porto, José Vilaça, this building was designed from scratch to house the city's Tourism Office in 1933. It was in 1932 that the Tomar Initiative and Tourism Commission made the decision of considering to move to their own space. The work took place for some years, finishing in 1939. The originality of this construction is due to the fact that this building integrates several authentic architectural elements of bourgeois houses from the 16th and 17th centuries. They came from old buildings demolished in the early 20th century, in Tomar and its surroundings. Let’s start with the 16th century corner window from the palace of the Prior of the Convent of Christ, believed to date from the first quarter of the 16th century. But there are more elements that make this building so unique. One of them is the 15th century portal that came from the barns in Ribeira Square, which was placed in the main entrance. Inside, the 16th century tile panels stand out. Also noteworthy are the stained glass windows by Ricardo Leone, the tiles and faience by Leopoldo Battistini and the neo-Renaissance works of the Sousa Braga house.
Tomar - Portugal
Eletric Central of Tomar - Museological Nucleus
Tomar | PORTUGAL
Convent and Church of S. Francisco
The Saint Francis Church and Convent are located on the fields of Várzea Grande, in Tomar. The Saint Francis Convent was founded in 1624 by Franciscan friars from the religious community of Santa Cita. The construction of the Saint Francis Church started in 1628. The work on the body of the church ended in 1636, but the tower on the right side of the façade was only completed in 1660. Inside, the chancel displays a gilded wood altar framed by four twisted columns, on which a Calvary from the Convent in Trinas of Lisbon was installed, in 1945. In the first chapel on the side of the Gospel, a beautiful image of Santa Iria, the patron saint of the city of Tomar, stands out. The Saint Francis Convent is composed of two cloisters. Since 1989, one of them hosts the Museum of Matches, offered to the city by Aquiles da Mota Lima, from Tomar. After the extinction of religious orders, the Saint Francis Convent became property of the War Ministry, which accommodated a military battalion there. At present, the authority over the Saint Francis Church and Convent is shared between the Third Order of Saint Francis and the City Hall of Tomar.
Tomar - Portugal
Statue of Gualdim Pais
In the heart of the historic center of Tomar, the Statue of Gualdim Pais stands out in the center of República Square, between the Town Hall Building and the Church of Saint John The Baptist. The inauguration of this monument took place on July 9, 1940. The city of Tomar thus paid tribute to its founder. Normally, Macário Dinis is mentioned as the author of this work in 1935, but it must be added that Anjos Teixeira was the author of the model approved in 1933, on which Macário Dinis worked, making some changes to it. Gualdim Pais was a Portuguese crusader, born in Amares in 1118, who ended up being inexorably associated with the history of Tomar. He was Knight of King Afonso Henriques between 1128 and 1185, and the founder of the city of Tomar, where the Order of the Temple was based, and of which he became Grand Master. Gualdim Pais granted charter to the new town of Tomar in 1162. On the opposite bank of the river, on the ruins of an old monastery, they built the Church of Santa Maria do Olival, for it to be the final home of the Templar Masters, the Pantheon of the Order of the Temple. Gualdim Pais himself, who died in 1195, was buried there. Currently, the tombstone of Gualdim Pais is on the wall of the second chapel, to where his remains were transferred.
Tomar - Portugal
Tomar Templar Interpretive Center
Tomar - Portugal
Church of Santa Maria do Olival
The Church of Santa Maria do Olival, in Tomar, is a temple that dates back to the 12th century. Dedicated to Santa Maria, the original church was built by the instruction of Gualdim Pais, Master of the Order of the Temple. It was meant to be the final home of the Templar Masters - the Pantheon of the Order of the Temple. Gualdim Pais himself was buried here.
Tomar - Portugal
Pegões Altos Aqueduct
The construction of the Convent of Christ Aqueduct, also known as the Pegões Altos Aqueduct, in Tomar, was ordered by King Filipe I, with the objective of supplying water to the Convent of Christ. The project belongs to Filipe Terzi, chief architect of the Kingdom, and the work started in 1593. After his death, the direction of the work was in charge of Pero Fernandes de Torres, and the first phase of the work was completed in 1614, with the waters reaching a reservoir located in the area of the Convent Fence. It was only later, in 1616, under the direction of Diogo Marques Lucas, that the works were completed; the pipeline was extended to the Convent building, reaching the washbasins of the dormitories in 1617 and reaching the fountain of the main cloister in 1619, actual date of completion of the undertaking. The Aqueduct covers about six kilometers, connecting the water from four springs located on the outskirts of the city of Tomar, in the place of Pegões, to the Convent of Christ. It consists of a total of 180 perfect round arches and represents one of the most important construction works of the 17th century in Portugal. It consists of simple archery and two layers of overlapped arches in the area with the highest slope, precisely over the Pegões valley, where it reaches a height of 30 meters. It is this structure that gives it all its magnificence and beauty. It can be walked on foot, along its upper part. It has been classified as a National Monument since 1910.
Tomar - Portugal
Church of Nossa Senhora da Graça
The Church of Nossa Senhora da Graça (Our Lady of Grace), in Tomar, is also known as Igreja da Misericórdia (Mercy Church). The Santa Casa da Misericórdia (Holy House of Mercy) in Tomar was established by King Manuel I, in 1510, and the Hospital of Nossa Senhora da Graça belonged to it. The construction of the Church started only a few years later, in 1567. The statue of Our Lady of Grace, the patron saint after whom the temple is named, is in the small niche that finishes the 16th century portico at the entrance to the sanctuary. It is a temple of Mannerist architecture with a single nave, with the side chapels displaying two Mannerist paintings in the style of that time. Inside, the central nave displays several tile panels of geometric pattern, while the main altar is in rocaille carving. A Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Graça ou Igreja da Misericórdia sofreu recentemente obras de recuperação e conservação. Durante esta intervenção, foram descobertas quatro enormes janelas que estavam entaipadas, com a pedra da cantaria e as grades originais do século XVI. The Church of Nossa Senhora da Graça or Mercy Church has recently undergone renovation and conservation works. During this intervention, four huge windows that were covered were discovered, with the original stone and bars of the 16th century.
Tomar - Portugal
Chapel of Santa Iria
The Chapel of Santa Iria is located in Tomar. It is dedicated to Santa Iria, the city's patron saint. It was built in the 15th century, having undergone a renovation and expansion in the 16th century, which added Renaissance elements to its style. Highlight for the Nuns’ Arch, an air passage over Santa Iria Street, which connects the Convent of Santa Iria to the old Palace of Friar António de Lisboa. Legend has it that Iria was a beautiful young woman from a good family who lived in this territory in the 7th century and that young nobleman Britaldo fell in love with her. It turns out that the young woman was determined to follow the religious life, so she refused the marriage proposal. In the convent, Friar Remígio, her preceptor, also surrendered to her charm and made inappropriate advances that werre barred by the young woman. Moved by wounded pride, the friar launched the rumor that the young Iria was pregnant, giving her infusions that caused her belly to swell. When he heard of the alleged betrayal, Britaldo could not stand the grief and ordered her death while Iria prayed by the Nabão River. Iria's body was taken by the river to Santarém, where it is said that the Tagus waters separated to reveal her coffin. Iria was found by monks who started her cult. Iria thus became the patron saint of Tomar. On October 20, during the celebration of the Santa Iria Fair, the day of her death is remembered and petals are thrown into the water, in an evocation of the martyr's blood.
Tomar - Portugal
Lopes-Graça Memory House;
Fernando Lopes-Graça was a famous Portuguese composer, conductor and musicologist, a prominent personality that profoundly marked the Portuguese culture of the 20th century. He was born in Tomar on the 17th of December of 1906, at Dr. Joaquim Jacinto Street 25. In honor of this son of the city, the Lopes-Graça Memory House was inaugurated in 2008, in the place where the composer was born. The Memory House works as a documentary and artistic center where we can get to know the life and work of this extraordinary Portuguese composer and intellectual. At the House, several personal objects of Lopes-Graça are exhibited, including his birth certificate, scores and musical pieces, testimonies of his vast musical artistic work. Here, visitors can read books, consult documentation and listen to music. In addition to having developed a solid musical career, Lopes-Graça has always been an intellectual opponent of the fascist and authoritarian regime in force in Portugal until 1974. He was therefore the target of repression by the regime, having even been arrested by the political police and forced to go into exile in France. Fernando Lopes-Graça is the author of a rich literary work with important reflections on Portuguese music, but he is also the author of a musical work of unparalleled quality. The house where Fernando Lopes-Graça was born was donated to the Municipality of Tomar by its last owner, Rui Manuel Dias Costa.
Tomar - Portugal
The "Estaus"
Estaus was the name formerly given to hostels or inns. The Estaus of Tomar were built by Henry, the Navigator, in the first quarter of the 15th century, on what was the main street of the city, at the time. With this building, Prince Henry intended to provide a place for the venders and foreigners who came here to participate in the local toll-free fair, as well as for some visitors of the lower nobility and the servants of the Masters of the Order of Christ. The Estaus consisted of two distinct identical buildings facing each other, separated by a street with 17 meters width. Each of them had a beautiful Gothic arcade composed of pointed arches and forming a gallery inside. Nowadays, there are only a few vestiges of this medieval inn from the 14th century that we can find on the corners of the current National Road 110 (Torres Pinheiro Street) with Arcos Street and Saboaria Street. These are the remains of the pointed arches of one of the buildings that were incorporated in the front side of an urban building, as well as two isolated arches, located in a small garden facing it. It was also in these buildings that the old Jewish bazaar operated, merchants had their spaces in the gallery area, under the arcades. In the mid-19th century, some of these porches were still used by farriers. The Estaus of Tomar have been classified as a property of public interest since 1946.
Tomar - Portugal
Chapel of S. António
The Chapel of S. António, in Tomar, was built between 1953 and 1955. However, it should be noted that this Chapel contains architectural elements from a Renaissance chapel five centuries older, the Chapel of Saint Anthony’s Couple. This small 15th century chapel was built in 1459, in the place of Saint Anthony’s Couple (Casal de Santo António), located near the Pegões Aqueduct. This simple Chapel ended up being abandoned for a long time. The rather positive aspect is that all of its most striking architectural elements were respectfully preserved, which led to the decision, in 1942, of carefully dismantling its stones, with the view of reconstructing the Chapel in another more central and accessible location. This operation took place under the auspices of the Union of the Friends of the Monuments of the Order of Christ. The Chapel was thus restored and rebuilt in 1953, at the time of the construction of the 1st of May Social Housing Neighborhood. It was here that current Chapel was built, with architectural elements from the original Chapel: on the façade, the original main door stands out and the ribs stand out in the chancel. Meanwhile, the Union of the Friends of the Order of Christ provided a few more elements to enrich the work from their own collection of other demolished buildings. In addition to a morning mass on Monday, a special mass is celebrated on June 13, in honor of Saint Anthony.
Tomar - Portugal
Manuel Guimarães House
Manuel Guimarães House is believed to be the house where the famous Spanish-Portuguese architect and master builder João de Castilho lived, during the period he was in Tomar to carry out the works of the Convent of Christ and the renovation of the Chapel of Santa Iria. With a Renaissance design, Manuel Guimarães House dates from the beginning of the 16th century. It is located in the medieval historic center of the city, it has two floors and in its original architecture there is a fabulous corner window. Despite having undergone an intervention in 1962, due to requirements related to the city's urbanization plan, its original decorative elements were kept. Some years later, in 1969, the Municipal Library of Tomar was installed here, where it remained until 1997. More recently, the Contemporary Art Center (NAC 2) moved to the ground floor of the House to function there as a Temporary Exhibition Gallery - until then, they were on the first floor of the Tourism Building. On the first floor of Manuel Guimarães House are the services of the Municipal Assembly. Manuel Guimarães was a relevant figure of the cultural life of Tomar, responsible for the foundation of the Municipal Library in the 1960s. The Municipality of Tomar decided to name this building after him as a tribute and expression of gratitude for its valuable contribution, as a man of letters and culture, to the city.
Tomar - Portugal
King Filipe Monument or Várzea Grande Monument
Right in the center of Várzea Grande, stands the imposing King Filipe Monument - or the Várzea Grande Monument, as it is also known. It dates from 1627 and celebrates the delivery by King Filipe III of the Várzea Grande land to the People and Municipality of Tomar, in opposition to the Order of Christ's claims to take ownership of this terrain. At issue, the dispute between the People of Tomar and the Order of Christ due to the Order's intentions to build the Saint Francis Convent there. The religious order claimed that the land belonged to them, but the reality is that King Manuel had granted the land of Várzea Grande to the People of Tomar. In fact, at the beginning of the 17th century, in 1625, the friars of the Saint Francis Order intended to settle in Tomar and build a new Convent there, in the place of Várzea Grande. This fact was at the origin of the protests and the dispute was settled with the resolution of Filipe III (Filipe IV of Spain) in favor of the People and the Municipality of Tomar. It is interesting to mention that the commemorative tombstone of the King Filipe Monument was removed after the Restoration of Independence, in 1640, when Portugal regained independence from Spain – it was an occupation that lasted 60 years, between 1580 and 1640. The King Filipe Monument is built in limestone stonework, with a quadrangular platform of six steps, where it rests. At the top, there’s a cross of Christ and a weather vane.
Tomar - Portugal
The Jewish Interpretative Center of Tomar
The Tomar Synagogue Interpretative Center opened to the public on October 15, 2019, after works to improve the Synagogue
Tomar - Portugal
Chapel of S. Gregório
The S. Gregório Chapel is located in Tomar, at the beginning of the Prado Road. It is a small shrine from the 16th century, with a central plan and an octagonal structure in the main body of the temple, topped by a Renaissance-style dome. This Chapel is dedicated to Saint Gregory of Nazianzus, an important theologian and Christian writer of the 4th century, highly relevant to the Christian world, as he was one of the theologians who proved the divinity of Jesus Christ. The façade is semi-circled by a porch or galilee that protects the entrance to the Chapel and which rests on sober Tuscan columns with a smooth shaft. Outside, the main door stands out, decorated with expressive Manueline elements. The walls of the Chapel's nave, on both sides, are decorated by magnificent blue and white 18th century tile panels that came from the Trinas Convent in Lisbon. Inside, at the bottom, the altar is simple and modest. It is topped by three niches, displaying in the center the image of Saint Gregory, the patron saint.
Tomar - Portugal
Vieira Guimarães House
The Vieira Guimarães House was built by the doctor and historiographer from Tomar José Vieira da Silva Guimarães, and that was where he lived until the end of his days. It was built between 1920 and 1922, next to Tomar Old Bridge, in front of the Nabão River. José Vieira da Silva Guimarães was born in Tomar in 1864 and died in 1939. By resolution expressed in a will, Vieira Guimarães donated his house to the Municipality of Tomar, with the explicit requirement that the space would be used for cultural purposes. On the ground floor of the two-storey building, the Primorosa Pastry Shop functioned for many years, while the Calouste Gulbenkian Library was installed on the first floor. Currently, the Trays Festival Commission has its headquarters on the first floor and the ground floor is a cultural space for temporary exhibitions managed by the Municipality. Recognized as an architectural reference in the city, the Vieira Guimarães House has a Manueline influence and is classified as a property of municipal interest. In addition to being a doctor, Vieira Guimarães was a professor of Geography and History at high school, as well as an archaeologist, deputy and historiographer. He was a prominent personality of the cultural life of the city, being the author of several publications about Tomar and the Order of Christ. The Vieira Guimarães House keeps the memory of José Vieira da Silva Guimarães alive and pays homage to his legacy.
Tomar - Portugal
Cultural Complex of Levada
The Tomar Flume Cultural Park (Complexo Cultural da Levada de Tomar) consists of a heritage requalification project of a set of buildings closely linked to the history of industrial production in Tomar. The Flume (Levada) is a channel through which, in the 12th century, the Templars diverted part of the Nabão River to lead the waters to the Friars Dam. This heritage ensemble, composed essentially by the Mills, Power Plants and Grinding Factories along the Nabão River and in the historic city center, has its origin in the medieval period, crosses the modern age and reaches the contemporary era. Noteworthy are the old mill buildings (which were fed by the potential water energy, through vertical hydraulic wheels or horizontal wheels), the two old grinding factories (using both hydraulic and electrical energy) and a power plant. In 2011, when the architectural rehabilitation and requalification works of the Tomar Flume began - in view of its safeguarding, musealization and cultural fruition -, archaeological structures documenting the production of olive oil approximately between the 16th and 19th centuries were found. Located in the Flume Cultural Park, the Power Plant of Tomar – Museum Center is a living portrait of the 19th century, when the city was one of the first in the country to have electric public lighting. In this museum, it is recalled that the Power Plant, inaugurated on July 1, 1901, was built with the purpose of supplying electricity to the 100 lamps of 16 candles that existed in the city, and that Tomar was one of the first cities in the country, after Elvas and Vila Real, to have electric public lighting.
Tomar - Portugal
Nuns' Arch
The Nuns’ Arch, in Tomar, is a full arch over Santa Iria Street, which is nothing less than an air passage that connects the Convent of Santa Iria to the old Palace of Friar António de Lisboa. Its origin dates back to the 16th century. The name “Nuns’ Arch” is thus connected with the Poor Clare Nuns of the Convent of Santa Iria. The Convent was built in the 16th century, on top of an older building (older than the Templar Castle), near the banks of the Nabão River, in the place where the young devotee Iria was praying when she was killed by order of Britaldo, the nobleman that fell in love with Iria and that wanted to marry her. The former Palace of Friar António de Lisboa is a sumptuous building from the 16th century, where it is believed Frei António de Lisboa or his family lived, following his appointment by King João III to become Prior of the Convent of Christ in Tomar. Arco das Freiras is classified as property of public interest.
Tomar - Portugal
Statue of Henry the Navigator
Next to the gates of the National Woods of the Seven Hills, in Tomar, a tribute to the one that remained forever linked to the economic and cultural development of the city. On December 18, 1960, the Statue of Henry the Navigator was inaugurated. This was the way the city chose to pay tribute to Henry the Navigator, precisely on the fifth centenary of the year of his death. The bronze statue is by the sculptor Henrique Moreira. Henry the Navigator is a huge figure in national and universal history, due to the determining role attributed to him in the great Portuguese undertaking of the Discoveries. He is the fifth son of King João I and Filipa de Lencastre. He was born on the 4th of March 1394, in Porto. His connection with Tomar begins in 1420, when he was appointed by the Pope, at the request of his father King João I, Governor and Regent of the Order of Christ. É enorme o legado que deixou à cidade, bem visível no traçado urbano de Tomar e na importante herança económica e cultural que para sempre a marcou. O Infante veio a falecer em Sagres, no dia 13 de novembro de 1460. The legacy he has given to the city is enormous, clearly visible in the urban layout of Tomar and in the important economic and cultural heritage forever present in the city. He died in Sagres, on November 13, 1460.
Tomar - Portugal
Chapel of São Lourenço and Padrão of Dom João I
The Saint Lawrence Chapel is located at the south entrance of Tomar. It is dedicated to Saint Lawrence and was built in the early 16th century by Aires de Quental. This simple and discreet religious temple pays homage to the reunion that took place on August 10, 1385 - the day of St. Lawrence - between the troops of João, Mestre de Avis and those of Nuno Álvares Pereira; they met here, four days before heading to Aljubarrota. Since 1948, the meeting of the two armies, in this exact place, has been immortalized on one of the side façades of the Chapel, when a panel of blue and white tiles was placed there, evoking the event. The Saint Lawrence Chapel is a small building, with a rectangular plan with a single body, preceded by a galilee of sober traces, with a Manueline style portal. Next to the Saint Lawrence Chapel, there is a Padrão (a stone monument) - the Padrão of Dom João I, also known as Round Padrão - that celebrates the reunion of the Portuguese troops on their way to Aljubarrota. It consists of a smooth column that rests on a Tuscan base with a capital adorned with open-winged angels and the Portuguese shield. The Saint Lawrence Chapel was classified as a National Monument in 1921.
Tomar - Portugal
Church of São João Baptista
The date of the foundation of the Church of Saint John The Baptist, in Tomar, remains unknown, but it is believed that it was Gualdim Pais who ordered the construction of the primitive church, while the Castle was being built and the city arose. It is around 1430, with Henry the Navigator, that the reconstruction of the Church begins. But it is not until 1467, with King Manuel I, that the Church starts to look as we know it nowadays, following the intervention works that took place. The Church of Saint John The Baptist is a late Gothic style temple, completed in the early 16th century.
Tomar - Portugal
Synagogue of Tomar
The Synagogue of Tomar was built between 1430 and 1460, by order of Henry the Navigator, driven by the growing number of Jews in Tomar. However, it had a short existence, as it was closed down in 1496, at the time of the Manueline edict to order the expulsion of the Jews.
Tomar
Center for Contemporary Art - Municipal Museum
The Center for Contemporary Art - Municipal Museum was created in 2004, when Professor José-Augusto França donated a relevant part of his personal art collection - the result of several decades of work as an art critic and historian - to the Municipality of Tomar. The set of more than two hundred works, including paintings, sculptures, drawings and photographs, covers a period in time that goes from 1932 to the present day. Jorge Mascarenhas is the architect responsible for the adaptation project of the building where the Center is installed. It has an exhibition area of about 500m2. Outside, two large-scale works welcome visitors: the sculpture “Blue Tree” by José de Guimarães and the tile panel “Luminous Modulation X” by Eduardo Nery, both specifically designed for the Museum and offered by the artists. The collection includes works from different periods of the 20th century. The Center for Contemporary Art plays an important role in the dissemination of Portuguese art of the 20th century, functioning as a kind of compendium of what was done in Portugal in the last century, as it integrates many of the works currently studied in art schools, for this period.
Tomar - Portugal
Town Hall Building
The Town Hall Building was built at the beginning of the 16th century; nowadays it hosts the Municipality of Tomar. It was King Manuel I who ordered its construction to receive the Royal Palace, only after it was donated to the Municipality. In what concerns its architecture, it is interesting to note that despite its date of construction, it does not display any Manueline elements; this is because in the second half of the 16th century, it was renovated following a mannerist design. The building has a rectangular plan, with the main façade showing three tall and harmonious arches, through which there is access to the building and to the elegant vaulted gallery that precedes the entrance. Over this archway that dominates the façade, the balconies with iron guards overlooking the square stand out. In turn, the back façade is extremely beautiful, also divided into three floors, each traced by seven-span arcades, with perfect round arches. The upper floor has open central arcades, and on the top floor the arcade is completely torn, making it a pleasant balcony. Inside the Town Hall Building, we highlight the exhibition room and the noble hall, whose roof bears an old coat of arms of the city.
Tomar - Portugal