Revisited the Convento of the Templers in Tomar. The inner prayer altar is now open only to walk around the 8 sited of the altar, or the Charola, but still it is hard to see everything at ones, so rich are the adornments. The perspectives and times tumble over each other, making this structure too complex to comprehend in one visit. A bit of history: The Convent of Christ (Portuguese: Convento de Cristo/Mosteiro de Cristo) is a former Catholic convent in Tomar, Portugal. Originally a 12th-century Templar stronghold, when the order was dissolved in the 14th century the Portuguese branch was turned into the Knights of the Order of Christ, that later supported Portugal’s maritime discoveries of the 15th century. The convent and castle complex are a historic and cultural monument and was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1983. The famous round church (rotunda) of the castle of Tomar was also built in the second half of the 12th century. The church, like some other templar churches throughout Europe, was modelled after the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem, which was believed by the crusaders to be a remnant of the Temple of Solomon. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem may also have served as model. The Romanesque round church is a Catholic Church from the castle (charola, rotunda) was built in the second half of the 12th century by the Knights Templar. From the outside, the church is a 16-side polygonal structure, with strong buttresses, round windows and a belltower. Inside, the round church has a central, octagonal structure, connected by arches to a surrounding gallery (ambulatory). ( Text copied from Wikipedia) #conventodecristo #convento #conventodetomar #templers #portuguesetemplars #unesco #church #convento #conventsandcastles #historicsites #relegiousarchitecture #religion #unescoworldheritage #unescoworldheritagesite #tomarconventodecristo #tomarconvent #tomarconventofchrist #sacredsites #visitportugal #visittomar #portugual🇵🇹 #historicalplace #historalbuilding #charola #middeavalbuilding #pelgrimage #bedevaartsoord
What a day #conventsandcastles 😍