Jeronimos Monastery – some questions, Lisbon, Portugal

When exploring Lisbon‘s Belém area, we encounter a commanding set of monuments, among which stands the Jeronimos Monastery.

Two pivotal dates underscore its significance:

• • January 6, 1502 – The cornerstone is laid, commencing construction.
  • Late 16th century – Construction concludes with subsequent enhancements.

Reflecting on these milestones prompts several inquiries:

• • What occupied this site before the monastery’s inception?
  • What drove the monastery’s establishment?
  • Who championed its construction?

Exploring the construction timeline to present-day milestones yields further insight. Let’s delve into these questions.

What occupied this site before the monastery’s inception?

Before the Jeronimos Monastery’s construction, the area between present-day Belém and the mouth of the Ninha River, now known as the Jamor River, was a wide estuary.

It was protected from northern winds and offered ideal anchorage for boats entering or departing the Tagus.

This location facilitated waiting for optimal conditions.

Once home to a village named Restelo, it housed free Moors or Moorish slaves and individuals of diverse backgrounds, resembling a Muslim settlement.

Two streams, the Pocinhos and Gafos, supplied freshwater, enhancing the village’s livability.

This anchorage was pivotal in the Conquest of Ceuta on July 25, 1415.

Following this event, intensified nautical activities, spurred by Infante D. Henrique, led to the village’s population and vessel count surge.

Considering the significant role of religious life during that era in this burgeoning area, lacking both a cemetery and a church, Infante D. Henrique, also known as Henry the Navigator, took action.

He commissioned the construction of a church dedicated to Santa Maria de Belém, integrating it into the Military Order of Christ.

Notably, Infante D. Henrique was the General Administrator of the Order of Christ from 1420.

No remnants of this church remain, except for an image of a saint relocated elsewhere.

Key events within this church include:

• • Vasco da Gama’s vigil before departing for India on July 8, 1497;
  • Pedro Álvares Cabral’s attendance at Mass before embarking on his voyage to discover Brazil on March 8, 1500.

What drove the monastery’s establishment?

Numerous theories abound regarding the motivations behind constructing this monument, and the reasons I delineate here contribute to this ongoing debate.

Manuel I, the Portuguese monarch reigning from October 1495 to December 1521, was both the nephew of Infante D. Henrique (Henry the Navigator) and the Master of the Order of Christ.

When D. Manuel relocated the collective from the Church of Santa Maria de Belém, previously held by the Order of Christ, he duly compensated them.

In place of the former church, he envisioned a monastery to be entrusted to the Jeronimos monks.

This decision stemmed from his profound reverence for São Jerónimo and the order’s dynamic adaptability to contemporary needs.

However, the monument’s grandeur is intimately linked to divine gratitude for Vasco da Gama’s successful discovery of the sea route to India.

Who championed its construction?

The answer is straightforward: it was D. Manuel I.

However, D. Manuel passed away in 1521, and as previously mentioned, the monastery’s construction spanned nearly the entire 16th century.

Consequently, D. João III, who succeeded D. Manuel I, inherited the task.

Despite his lesser fervor due to his focus on the magnificent Convento de Cristo in Tomar, a topic I’ll address in a separate post, the construction persisted under his reign.

Upon D. João III’s death in 1557, the responsibility passed to his grandson and successor, D. Sebastião.

During D. Sebastião’s reign and thereafter, the monument encountered challenges reflective of the nation’s broader issues, chiefly stemming from discontinuous succession.

After D. João III’s demise in 1557, there ensued a period of two distinct regencies until D. Sebastião, reaching adulthood in 1568, could assume reign.

However, his reign ended abruptly in 1578 with his disappearance in Alcácer Quibir.

Subsequently, Portugal witnessed the reign of three more rulers, including two Spanish kings, until the century’s end.

This context elucidates the monastery’s relatively diminished importance during these reigns.

Nevertheless, amidst the various rulers listed, D. Manuel I stood out as the foremost advocate for the monastery’s construction during its building period.

Some interesting facts from the end of the construction of the monastery to the present.

1755 – During the Great Earthquake, the building withstood admirably. However, the subsequent year saw a milder quake causing damage, including the collapse of a church column leading to part of the dome’s fall.

1675 – A valuable tabernacle joined the collection, fulfilling D. Afonso IV promise for triumph in the Battle of Montes Claros.

Between the late 17th and mid-18th centuries, the monastery church welcomed mausoleums for numerous notable figures.

1834 – The dissolution of religious orders dealt a fatal blow, leading to gradual asset stripping, leaving behind only the magnificent walls, devoid of their original function.

1907 – Designated as a National Monument.

1983 – Showcased in the XVII European Exhibition of Art, Science, and Culture with the theme “Portuguese Navigations and Their Consequences.”

1983 – Enlisted as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Today, the Jeronimos Monastery ranks among Portugal’s most visited monuments.

While this text aims to address some queries about the Jeronimos Monastery, its rich history merits further exploration, a journey I intend to continue shortly.

Join me on a Private Day Tour to visit this monument.

Carpe diem

David Monteiro