⚓ Jerónimos Monastery
Portugal
About This Sacred Site
The Jerónimos Monastery in Belém, Lisbon, is the finest example of Manueline architecture — Portugal's ornate national style blending late Gothic with maritime and Renaissance elements. Commissioned by King Manuel I in 1501, it was funded by the wealth flowing from Vasco da Gama's discovery of the sea route to India. The monastery housed monks of the Order of St. Jerome who provided spiritual guidance to sailors and explorers departing from Belém. It houses the tombs of Vasco da Gama, the poet Luís de Camões, and King Manuel I.
Key Facts
- •UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983
- •Funded by a 5% tax on spices from the East Indies trade
- •Houses the tombs of Vasco da Gama and national poet Luís de Camões
- •Monks prayed for sailors departing on voyages of exploration from nearby Belém Tower
- •Construction took nearly a century, from 1501 to the late 1500s
Location
Coordinates: 38.6979, -9.2068
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