Jerónimos Monastery

The purpose

King Manuel I planned it as a resting place for the House of Aviz

The existing structure was inaugurated on the orders of Manuel I in 1495, as a final resting-place for members of the House of Aviz. In 1496 he petitioned the Holy See for permission to build a monastery on the site.

1497

Vasco da Gama prayed here the night before leaving for India

The old church on the site, the Hermitage of Restelo, was already in disrepair when Vasco da Gama and his men spent the night in prayer there before departing on their expedition to India in 1497.

The build

Building began on 6 January 1501 and took 100 years

The construction of the monastery and church began on 6 January 1501 and was completed 100 years later. King Manuel funded it with the Vintena da Pimenta, a 5 percent tax on commerce from Africa and the Orient.

100years from the start of building to its completion

Manueline

The Manueline style carved maritime themes into the limestone

The monastery was designed in the style later known as Manueline: richly ornate, with sculptural themes incorporating maritime elements and objects discovered during naval expeditions, carved in limestone. Diogo de Boitaca was the architect.

The nave

In 1880 Vasco da Gama and the poet Camões were moved into the nave

In 1880 the remains of Vasco da Gama and of the poet Luís de Camões were moved to new carved tombs in the nave of the church. The tombs of the kings Manuel I and John III are only a few meters away.