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    Tomar

    Portugal

    Tomar

    CityCulture

    Tomar, on the River Nabão, was the seat of the Knights Templar in Portugal during the Middle Ages. Above the town stands their fortified monastery, the Convento de Cristo, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1983.

    by Felix Gillen

    1. Home
    3. Destinations
    5. Portugal
    7. Ribatejo
    9. Tomar
    Tomar, on the River Nabão, was the seat of the Knights Templar in Portugal during the Middle Ages. Above the town stands their fortified monastery, the Convento de Cristo, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1983. Later, the Order of Christ, led by Henry the Navigator, was based here. The old town below is laid out in a grid pattern, featuring Praça da República, one of Portugal's oldest synagogues, and a park on a river island.

    Sights in Tomar

    Discover the most important sights and attractions

    Convento de Cristo

    1Convento de Cristo

    Castle and convent of the Templars and later the Order of Christ above the city, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Its heart is the 12th-century round Templar church Charola, complemented by eight cloisters and the famous Manueline window at the Chapter House with ropes, corals, and seafaring motifs. Allow two to three hours for your visit.
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    Parque do Mouchão

    2Parque do Mouchão

    Park on an island in the Nabão River in the middle of the city, with a large wooden water scoop wheel. Shady and quiet for a break.
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    Synagogue of Tomar
    Museum

    3Synagogue of Tomar

    Small 15th-century synagogue in the Old Town, one of the oldest preserved in Portugal. The vaulted room rests on four pillars; today it houses a small Jewish museum.
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    St. John the Baptist Church
    Church

    4St. John the Baptist Church

    Main church on the central Praça da República square, featuring a Manueline portal and a slender bell tower. The Town Hall stands opposite.
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    Aqueduto dos Pegões
    Historic Landmark

    5Aqueduto dos Pegões

    Aqueduct from the late 16th and early 17th century, supplying the Convento de Cristo with water. At the Pegões Altos section, it spans a valley on two rows of arches, a few kilometers west of the city.
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    Essen & Trinken

    1

    Cova Funda

    Restaurant in R. Infantaria 15 nº65/67.
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    2

    Iki sushi

    Restaurant in Av. Dr. Cândido Madureira 106.
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    3

    Taverna Antiqua

    Restaurant in Praça da República 23.
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    4

    Snack-Bar 2002

    Bar in R. Miguel Maria Ferreira 1.
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    5

    O Tabuleiro

    Restaurant in R. Serpa Pinto 146.
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    Culture and History

    Templar Master Gualdim Pais founded the castle and town in 1160. After the dissolution of the Knights Templar, its possessions passed to the newly founded Order of Christ, which was based in Tomar from 1357. Under Henry the Navigator and later Manuel I, the monastery was expanded, hence the mix of Romanesque, Gothic, Manueline, and Renaissance styles.The Festa dos Tabuleiros dates back to medieval Holy Spirit festivals and takes place every four years; the next is expected in 2027.

    On the Road in Tomar

    Trains from Lisbon arrive at the station on the southern edge of the old town. You can reach everything important on foot; a car is only worthwhile for the Aquädukt der Pegões. Almourol is about 25 kilometers south, Fátima approximately 35 kilometers west.

    Accommodations in Tomar

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    Campgrounds in Tomar

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      • 2Parque do Mouchão4 days
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    Nearby

    Castelo de Almourol

    Castelo de Almourol

    The Castelo de Almourol stands on a small rocky island in the middle of the Tejo River between Tancos and Vila Nova da Barquinha. The Templars rebuilt the castle in 1171 under Gualdim Pais on older foundations; it secured the former border line on the Tejo. Today, it is one of the most famous photo motifs of the Ribatejo.
    Fátima

    Fátima

    Fátima is one of the world's largest Catholic pilgrimage sites. In 1917, three shepherd children reportedly had multiple apparitions of the Virgin Mary here. Today, a huge square surrounds the small Chapel of the Apparitions, with two basilicas at its ends. The town thrives almost entirely on pilgrims; hotels and devotional shops line up around the sanctuary.
    Ribatejo

    Ribatejo

    The Ribatejo is the region on both sides of the middle Tejo northeast of Lisbon. It is flat, fertile alluvial land with viticulture, rice fields, and pastures where horses and fighting bulls are bred. Key towns are Santarém with its Gothic churches and Tomar with the Templar castle Convento de Cristo, plus the river castle of Almourol.
    Santarém

    Santarém

    Santarem is located on a plateau high above the Tejo, about 80 kilometers northeast of Lisbon. It is often referred to as the Capital of Gothic due to its many Gothic churches. From the Portas do Sol garden, you look out far over the river and the flat Lezíria, the land of horse and bull breeding. The old town is quiet and not very touristy.
    Nazaré

    Nazaré

    Nazaré is a fishing and beach town on the Costa de Prata, around 120 km north of Lisbon. The lower town is on the long sandy beach; atop the cliff sits Sítio, with a pilgrimage church and viewpoint. Nazaré is world-famous for its huge waves, breaking at Praia do Norte in winter and attracting big-wave surfers worldwide.

    Sources & method

    • Photos: Unsplash, Google Maps. Each photo carries its credit.
    • Place data such as addresses and ratings comes from Google Maps.
    • The content is based on web research from public, traceable sources. How the content is made · The role of AI