O inicio do Convento de Cristo dá-se após a reconquista de Santarém em 1147 por D.Afonso Henriques, com o repovoamento da zona do ribatejo. A construção do Castelo Templário em 1160 enquadra-se nesta linha defensiva natural que era o Tejo. De seguida foi construída a Charola original romanica. A ordem dos templários é dissolvida entre 1307-1312, e D.Dinis nacionaliza-a dando-lhe o nome de Ordem de Cristo em 1319. O Convento irá sofrer importantes ampliações durante os séc. XV e XVI, as quais vemos actualmente sob a forma do actual corpo rectangular da Igreja. Em 1529 no reinado de D.João III dá-se a restruturação do Convento, e Frei António de Lisboa manda mestre biscaino João de Castilho construir um novo claustro (1530-1565) onde actualmente vemos o claustro renascentista (1557-1580) projectado por Diogo de Torralva e alterado por Filipe Terzi em 1587 durante o reinado de Filipe II. João de Castilho trabalha aqui até à sua morte em 1553, construindo os claustros da Hospedaria, Micha e Corvos, e os aposentos do Convento.
Convent of Christ aerial view. The whole of these spaces, built over centuries since the beginning of portuguese nationality, makes the Convento de Cristo a grandiose monumental complex that deserves the classification of World Heritage by UNESCO.
Dating from the 12th century - an early Templar Romanesque fortified oratory inspired by the Temple in Jerusalem. The capitals on the center coumns and the paintings on stone allusive of St. Christopher date from that period.
The Chapter Room was originally the sacristy. Like the high choir (on the upper floor), this room was started by Diogo de Arruda (here he worked between 1510-1513) and finished by João de Castilho (here he worked between 1514-1553), creating the c...
A project that represents the culmination of the most dramatic reform of the Order of Christ. It was transformed into a closed order, under the principles of the Order of S. Bento, by order of D. João III in 1529. The cloister designed by João de ...
The west façade is a splendid ensemble that the exterior arrangement of the window synthesizes and the decorative elements, foreshadowed on the north façade and more explicit on the south façade, acquire a more vigorous expression here through the...
The Cloister of the Hostelery, was built in 1541-42, the contiguous spaces was where pilgrims and visitors of the Convent were received, On the upper floor the Nobles were housed and the Clergy was constituted by a classic colonnade balcony. On th...
Convent Kitchen, built by João de Castilho in 1551. From 1532 onwards, the Convent was enlarged, and the kitchen corresponds to the building of the vast convent in a Renaissance style (the Cloister of D. João III being mannerist), which externally...
The original Charola Roman Templar is built in two phases (1160-1190 and 1200-1250 with cannon vault closure). The octagonal shape of a centralized plan comes from the influence of the early baptisteries and mausoleums of the Lower Empire, in the ...
The choir, whose vaulted ceiling has great affinities with that of the Jerónimos, is illuminated by four large windows with side columns with a Gothic base and an ornate shaft with trunks and root figurines. An oculus to the west, internally frame...
The Cloister of the Cemetery was this the first of the cloisters of the Convent to be built and its realization dates back to Infante D. Henrique, its governor and perpetual administrator, by appointment in 1420. The need for new conventual featur...
The Construction of the Small Cloister, as it was first known, started in 1531 under the architect João de Castilho; from that time it would provide access within the Convent. In 1843, by order of King Fernando II, the upper floor was demolished i...
This cloister is part of the intervention of Infante D. Henrique between 1420-1460. The design on two floors is due to the fact that the land is uneven, and the need to connect this cloister with the Cloister of the Cemetery. The upper floor serve...
Built in late 16th century by the Master of the Works of the Convent, Francisco Lopes, during the priorship of Friar Adrião Mendes (1575-78), it was also the Chapter House in the time of Prince Henry (15th century). Work to unify the style was car...
It is an altarpiece portal of the century. XVI, with images of the old and new testament. The entire exterior of the Manueline church nave has been designed by Diogo de Arruda since 1510. In 1513, when he was appointed a military engineer and went...
