Tomar, Portugal: Knights Templar History, Convent of Christ & Day Tours from Lisbon
Tomar is a city of 36,413 people (2021 census) in the Santarém District of Portugal, 136 km northeast of Lisbon via the A1 motorway – approximately 1 hour 30 minutes by car. The city lies on the Nabão River, a tributary of the Zêzere, in the fertile Ribatejo region.
Tomar’s significance in Portuguese history is concentrated in one monument: the Castle and Convent of Christ (Convento de Cristo), a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983. The complex was founded in 1160 by Gualdim Pais, the fourth Grand Master of the Knights Templar in Portugal, and has been continuously occupied for over 860 years. It contains eight cloisters spanning five centuries and one of the finest examples of Manueline architecture in Portugal.
A Brief History of Tomar
The settlement on the Nabão River was known in Roman times as Nabantia, a town on the road between Olisipo (Lisbon) and Emerita Augusta (present-day Mérida, Spain). The city’s early Christian history is anchored in the legend of Santa Iria – Irene of Tomar – a young woman born in Nabância around 635 AD and martyred on October 20, 653. According to tradition, her body was thrown into the Nabão River after she refused the advances of a local monk. Devotion to her spread widely enough that the downstream city of Scalabis was renamed Santarém – a Portuguese contraction of “Saint Irene” – in her honor.
The founding of modern Tomar is dated to 1160, when Gualdim Pais, the fourth Grand Master of the Knights Templar in Portugal, constructed a castle on the hill above the Nabão and laid out the town below. Pais is buried at the Church of Santa Maria do Olival; his tomb slab, dated 1195, remains inside.
The Knights Templar were suppressed by Pope Clement V at the Council of Vienne in 1312. King Dinis I of Portugal and Pope John XXII responded in 1319 by establishing the Order of Christ as the successor organization, absorbing the Templar properties and personnel in Portugal. The Convent of Tomar officially became the seat of the Order of Christ in 1357.
The 15th century brought radical transformation. Henry the Navigator served as Grand Master of the Order of Christ from 1417 to 1450. Under his direction, two new cloisters were begun, the Chapel of São Jorge was started in 1426, and the Order of Christ financed Portugal’s early maritime expeditions along the West African coast. When Vasco da Gama sailed to India in 1497–1498, his ships carried the Cross of the Order of Christ on their sails. Henry also gave Tomar its distinctive street layout – a geometric chessboard grid that was later used as the model for the reconstruction of Lisbon’s Baixa district after the 1755 earthquake.
A Jewish community had existed in Tomar since at least 1315, the date of the earliest known record: the tombstone of Rabbi Joseph of Tomar. In 1430–1460, the community built a synagogue in the town. King Manuel I’s 1496 decree ordering the expulsion or forced baptism of Jews ended the community’s presence. The synagogue was abandoned and later repurposed as a warehouse and jail before being restored in the 20th century.
The 16th century marked the peak of architectural ambition at the Convent of Christ: the Manueline nave and the celebrated Chapter House Window were completed in 1510–1515. The Pegões Aqueduct was constructed between 1593 and 1614. After the Order of Christ declined and Portugal’s colonial interests contracted, Tomar receded from the centre of national history – which is precisely why the medieval fabric of the city has survived largely intact.
Convent of Christ - UNESCO World Heritage Site (1983)
The Convent of Christ (Convento de Cristo) covers a hilltop of approximately 5 hectares above Tomar. The UNESCO designation, granted in 1983, covers the castle walls and the entire convent complex, recognising the exceptional concentration of architectural styles spanning five centuries: Romanesque, Gothic, Manueline, Renaissance, Mannerist, and Baroque elements are all present within the same site. The complex is managed by the state entity Museus e Monumentos de Portugal. Opening hours and ticket prices should be verified at museusemonumentos.pt.
The Charola - Templar Round Church (12th Century)
The oldest structure in the complex is the Charola, the Templar oratory built in the second half of the 12th century. It is one of the few surviving examples of Templar rotunda architecture in Europe – a circular form derived from the Rotunda of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, which the Templars had been charged with protecting during the Crusades. The
Charola follows a polygonal plan of 16 bays, with an octagonal choir at the centre surrounded by an ambulatory. Tradition holds that the Templars conducted Mass on horseback within the rotunda – the circular design made this possible without requiring knights to dismount. The walls and vaults retain fragments of late-Gothic paintings and gilded decorative panels from later centuries.
The Manueline Nave & Chapter House Window (1510–1515)
In 1510, King Manuel I ordered the expansion of the Charola with a full Manueline nave. The principal architect was Diogo de Arruda, who designed both the nave (1510–1513) and the Chapter House Window (Janela do Capítulo). João de Castilho completed the nave in 1513–1515.
The Chapter House Window is considered one of the masterworks of Manueline decoration in Portugal. Its stonework, approximately 8 metres tall, depicts the iconography of Portugal’s Age of Discovery: twisted anchor chains, cork bark, armillary spheres, coral branches, the Cross of the Order of Christ, and rope motifs carved into limestone in a composition of dense organic detail. Diogo de Arruda’s brother Francisco was also a prominent Manueline architect active in the same period – both are central figures in the development of this distinctly Portuguese Gothic-Renaissance style.
Eight Cloisters Spanning Five Centuries
The Convent was expanded across the 15th and 16th centuries into a complex of eight cloisters, each built in a different architectural style. The most significant is the Main Cloister (Claustro Principal), designed by Diogo de Torralva in the mid-16th century and completed by Italian architect Filippo Terzi. It is considered one of the finest examples of Portuguese Renaissance architecture. The Cemetery Cloister (Claustro do Cemitério) dates from the 15th century and includes a well and Gothic arches.
Other Monuments in Tomar
Church of Santa Maria do Olival (12th Century)
The Church of Santa Maria do Olival is the oldest church in Tomar, built in the second half of the 12th century by Gualdim Pais. The present structure reflects a 13th-century reconstruction in early Gothic style, with five side chapels added in the 16th century and decorated with azulejo tilework.
The church served as the burial place for the Grand Masters of the Knights Templar in Portugal. Gualdim Pais is buried here; his tomb slab, dated 1195, is the oldest known inscribed stone monument in Tomar.
In 1455, Pope Calisto III issued a papal bull designating Santa Maria do Olival as the Mother Church of all parishes established by Portugal in Asia, Africa, and the Americas. A modest Gothic church in central Portugal became, by papal decree, the canonical root of the Portuguese Catholic Church’s global presence during the Age of Discovery.
Synagogue of Tomar (1430-1460)
The Synagogue of Tomar is the only medieval synagogue in Portugal that has survived substantially intact since its construction between 1430 and 1460. The Jewish community of Tomar was documented from at least 1315 – the date of a rabbi’s tombstone found in the town.
The interior contains four columns representing the four Matriarchs of Israel, connected by twelve arches symbolizing the twelve tribes. The building ceased to function as a synagogue after the 1496 royal expulsion decree. It was used subsequently as a prison and storage space before being purchased in 1923 by Samuel Schwarz, a Polish-Jewish engineer and scholar, who financed its restoration. In 1939, it opened as the Abraham Zacuto Portuguese Jewish Museum (Museu Luso-Hebraico de Abraham Zacuto). The building is a National Monument.
Pegões Aqueduct (1593-1614)
The Aqueduct of Pegões is a 6.223 km structure that carried water from four natural springs west of Tomar to the Convent of Christ’s main cloister fountain. Construction began in 1593 under Italian military engineer Filippo Terzi (1520–1597) – who also completed the Main Cloister at the Convent – and was finished by Pedro Fernando de Torres in 1614.
The structure contains 180 arches in total, reaching a maximum height of approximately 30 metres at the valley crossing. The Pegões valley section consists of 58 semicircular arches resting on 16 pointed arches – a combination of Roman structural form with Moorish-influenced pointed supports. The aqueduct was declared a National Monument in 1920.
The Festa dos Tabuleiros
Every four years, Tomar hosts the Festa dos Tabuleiros (Festival of the Trays), one of the largest popular festivals in Portugal. The festival’s origins trace to the 14th century and the devotion to the Holy Spirit associated with Queen Isabel of Portugal.
The centrepiece is a parade of several hundred women, each carrying a tabuleiro on her head: a structure of 30 loaves of bread stacked on a wicker frame, decorated with paper flowers and wheat stalks and topped with a paper crown. The tabuleiro must be exactly the height of the woman carrying it – typically between 1.4 and 1.6 metres. The parade covers approximately 5 kilometres through Tomar’s historic streets and along the Nabão River.
The most recent edition was held in June–July 2023. The next Festa dos Tabuleiros is scheduled for 2027. The festival is a candidate for UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage designation.
When to Visit Tomar
March–May and September–October are the optimal visiting months. Temperatures range from 14°C to 24°C. The Convent of Christ requires substantial walking across stone surfaces and uneven terrain – spring and autumn conditions are suitable for all fitness levels.
July and August: Temperatures in Tomar regularly reach 35°C or above. The Convent complex, much of which is outdoors or in unshaded areas, becomes uncomfortable in afternoon heat. For summer visits, departure from Lisbon before 08:00 allows arrival at the Convent before the midday peak. If travelling in 2027, note that the Festa dos Tabuleiros (July) brings significant visitor numbers and accommodation should be booked well in advance.
December–February: Temperatures range from 8°C to 14°C. The Convent remains open. Tourist volumes are minimal.
Getting to Tomar from Lisbon
By car: 136 km northeast of Lisbon via the A1 motorway (toward Porto), then IC9 toward Tomar. Journey time approximately 1 hour 30 minutes without significant traffic. Paid parking is available in the town centre; free parking at the base of the Convent hill.
By train: From Lisboa Oriente or Lisboa Santa Apolónia, trains require a change at Entroncamento. Total journey time approximately 2 hours. The Tomar train station is approximately 1.5 km from the Convent of Christ.
For a private day tour, Tomar pairs well with Fátima (45 km south) and Almourol Castle (30 km south along the Tagus River). Yellow Cab TT Tours includes these combinations in several itineraries.
Private Day Tours to Tomar from Lisbon
We have been running private tours to Tomar from Lisbon since 2013. The Convent of Christ alone requires 2 to 3 hours to cover thoroughly; combined with the Church of Santa Maria do Olival, the Synagogue, and the Pegões Aqueduct, a full day in Tomar is realistic.
Lo que no puede perderse en Tomar
Convento de Cristo
Plaza de la República
Puente Viejo
Rotonda
Preguntas frecuentes
How far is Tomar from Lisbon?
Tomar is 136 km northeast of Lisbon via the A1 motorway and IC9. By private vehicle the journey takes approximately 1 hour 30 minutes. By train from Lisboa Oriente, with a change at Entroncamento, the journey takes approximately 2 hours. A day trip from Lisbon is easily viable; most visitors allow 6–8 hours in the city.
What is the Convent of Christ in Tomar?
The Convent of Christ (Convento de Cristo) is a UNESCO World Heritage Site (1983) founded in 1160 by Gualdim Pais, the fourth Grand Master of the Knights Templar in Portugal. It served as the Templar headquarters, then as the seat of the Order of Christ from 1357. The complex contains eight cloisters, the 12th-century Templar rotunda (Charola), and the celebrated Manueline Chapter House Window (1510–1513). It is one of the best-preserved Templar sites in Europe.
What is the Charola in Tomar?
The Charola is the Templar oratory – a round church built in the second half of the 12th century, modelled on the Rotunda of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. It is one of the few surviving Templar rotundas in Europe. The structure has a polygonal plan of 16 bays with an octagonal central choir. The Templars traditionally conducted religious rites on horseback within its circular nave.
What is the Chapter House Window (Janela do Capítulo)?
The Chapter House Window is a large Manueline window carved in limestone by architect Diogo de Arruda between 1510 and 1513. Approximately 8 metres tall, it depicts symbols of Portugal’s Age of Discovery — anchor chains, armillary spheres, coral, the Cross of the Order of Christ — woven into an elaborate stone composition. It is considered one of the finest examples of Manueline architectural decoration in Portugal.
What is the Order of Christ and how is it connected to Tomar?
The Order of Christ was established in Portugal in 1319 by King Dinis I and Pope John XXII as the successor to the Knights Templar, which had been dissolved at the Council of Vienne in 1312. The Convent of Tomar became the Order’s seat in 1357. Henry the Navigator served as Grand Master from 1417 to 1450 and used the Order’s resources to fund Portugal’s early maritime expeditions. The ships of Vasco da Gama carried the Order of Christ’s cross on their sails.
Is there a synagogue in Tomar?
Yes. The Synagogue of Tomar, built between 1430 and 1460, is the only intact medieval synagogue in Portugal. The Jewish community existed in Tomar from at least 1315. Following King Manuel I's 1496 expulsion decree, the synagogue was abandoned. It was restored in 1923 and opened as the Abraham Zacuto Portuguese Jewish Museum in 1939. It is a National Monument.
What is the Pegões Aqueduct?
The Pegões Aqueduct is a 6.223 km structure built between 1593 and 1614, designed to carry water from springs west of Tomar to the Convent of Christ. The lead architect was Italian military engineer Filippo Terzi (1520–1597). The structure includes 180 arches and reaches approximately 30 metres in height. It was declared a National Monument in 1920.
What is the Festa dos Tabuleiros?
The Festa dos Tabuleiros is a festival held every four years in Tomar, rooted in 14th-century devotion to the Holy Spirit associated with Queen Isabel of Portugal. The main event is a 5 km parade during which hundreds of women carry “tabuleiros” – towers of 30 loaves of bread, decorated with paper flowers and topped with a crown, equal in height to the woman carrying them. The last edition was in June–July 2023; the next is scheduled for 2027.
Can I combine Tomar with Fátima in one day?
Yes. Fátima is 45 km south of Tomar, approximately 40 minutes by car. Yellow Cab TT Tours operates a combined Tomar and Fátima itinerary that also includes Batalha Monastery. The combined tour from Lisbon covers approximately 300 km and requires 10–11 hours. This itinerary is one of the most historically dense day tours available from Lisbon.
When is the best time to visit Tomar?
March to May and September to October. Spring temperatures (14–24°C) and autumn conditions are suitable for the walking required across the Convent complex. July and August regularly reach 35°C, making afternoon visits physically demanding. The Festa dos Tabuleiros (held every four years in July, next in 2027) draws large crowds and requires advance planning if visiting during that period.