Mosteiro de Jerónimos, also known as Monastery of Jerónimos, is a very popular and much-visited destination in Lisbon. It’s one of the most famous and important monasteries in Portugal. Since 1983, it’s been under the list of UNESCO World Heritage.
Jerónimos Monastery houses the tombs of certain historical figures in Portugal. These include the tomb of Vasco de Gama King Manuel, and the Portuguese poets Herculano and Fernando Pessoa.
In this guide, you can find information about the historical and architectural facts about the Hieronymites Monastery. Also, you can learn about Jeronimos monastery opening hours. Let’s begin.
About Mosteiro de Jerónimos
The history of this Belem Monastery dates back to the 16th century. It was constructed upon the request of King Manuel I. Through its construction, the king wanted to demonstrate his gratefulness to Holy Spirit. It was because of the return of Vasco de Gama and other voyagers safely.
Mosteiro dos Jerónimos Lisbon features conical pinnacles and it has a rectangular shape. It also has a library that includes the exhibition called “A Place in Time”. The exhibition depicts the history of this monastery.
The monastery also hosted two exhibitions in the past. These were “Four Centuries of Paintings” and “Leonardo da Vinci: A Man at the World’s Scale, A World at the Scale of Man”.
History of the Monastery of Jerónimos
After Vasco de Gama returned from India, King Manuel I requested the construction of the monastery of Jeronimos. The Portuguese architect Diogo de Boitaca designed the building of Hieronymites Monastery (Jerónimos Monastery). Then, the construction started in 1501 and lasted for 100 years to be completed.
The building of Jerónimos Monastery has a Portuguese Late Gothic Manueline style. Its durability was proved after the Great Earthquake of 1755. The earthquake caused damage to most of Lisbon. However, the monastery stood only with small damage after the earthquake. Since then, it has been subject to restoration projects as well.
The Church of the Jerónimos Monastery Lisbon
Jerónimos Monastery Lisbon replaced The Church of Santa Maria de Belem. Then, it became “Mosteiro da Santa Maria de Belém”. It’s now known as Jerónimos Monastery.
As we’ve mentioned above, the tombs of certain important figures are housed here at Jerónimos Monastery. In addition to Vasco de Gama and Fernando Pessoa, it houses the tomb of Luís de Camões. The latter was a Portuguese poet and writer.
The Cloister of Jerónimos Monastery
The Cloister is an inportant part of the San Jerónimos Monastery. It has two floors. The decoration of the cloister is quite attractive to many visitors. The carvings and ornamentation are quite special and meticulous. In addition, all of the columns in the cloister are carved with different sea figures. These figures represent the sea voyages and that period’s discoveries.
Entering the cloister allows you to see the church from above. In addition, you can also see the tomb of Fernando Pessoa. The cloister is also quite large.
Details About Price, Schedule, and Address
Mosteiro dos Jerónimos Lisbon takes place in Praça do Império, 1400 Lisbon 1400-206, Portugal.
Jerónimos Monastery opening hours are as follows:
- Between October and April: 10 a.m.- 5.30 p.m.
- Between May and September: 10 a.m.- 6.30 p.m.
- Closed on Mondays, Jan. 1, Easter Sunday, May 1, June 13, and December 25.
Entering the church part is for free, however, the entrance fee to the cloister is €10. In addition, the first Sunday of each month is the period of free entrance. San Jeronimos is also possible to visit for free with a Lisboa Card.
The transportation options to arrive at this monastery Lisbon are as follows:
- For trams, take Line 15
- For bus, take the lines 727, 28, 729, 714 and 751
- For train, get off at Belém Station or Cascáis Line
- For the boat, take Belem Ferry Terminal.
You can find other things to do in Belem in the Travel Guide of Belem.
