Jeronimos Monastery is well worth a visit for tourists to Lisbon.
This 16th-century monastery is one of the few remaining examples
of medieval, Manueline architecture. Commissioned by Manuel I,
after whom the style of architecture is named, work began on
the monastery in the early 1500’s. The original design
was the work of an architect called Diogo de Boytac, although
other Masters, namely João de Castilho and Diogo de Torralva,
were involved in the actual construction of the building. Along
with the Torre de Belém, the monastery is listed as a
UNESCO World Heritage Site and is a spectacular building with
high arches, impressive columns and ornate spires. It is also
the resting place of Vasco da Gama, who set sail from Bélem
in 1497 to discover India, and of Portugal’s most famous
poet, Luís de Camões, who wrote Os Lusiadas (the
Lusiads). Today, visitors to the monastery can still see various
monastic rooms, including a refectory and chapter house, as well
as a church hall designed by João de Castilho. Other places
of interest are the chapels, which house the tombs of royal descendants
of Manuel I, and the cloister, which has many impressive galleries.
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