Tomar and Batalha, Portugal
The Convento de Cristo looms above the little town or Tomar at dusk. The Knights Templar were enormously powerful in Portugal from the 12th to 16th centuries, and were major bankrollers of the Age of Discoveries. The castle-monastery-fort in Tomar that was their headquarters is a UNESCO World Heritage site
The Convento de Cristo above Tomar's main walking street
Our hotel on Tomar's walking street
Building on Tomar's walking street
Entrance to the Convento de Cristo through the 12th century walls
16-sided Templar church at Convento de Cristo. Supposedly the circular design allowed the knights to attend mass on horseback!
Interior courtyard at Convento de Cristo
Interior of the round Templar church; the altar is shrouded for rennovations
Stairwell at Convento de Cristo
Cloister walkway (one of many) at Convento de Cristo
Spectacular Gothic-Manueline Mosteiro de Santa Maria do Vitoria in the tiny town of Batalha, near Tomar. It was built by Joao d'Avis to commemorate the 1385 battle fought nearby in which his 6,500 Portuguese and a few hundred English soldiers repulsed the 30,000 soldiers of Juan I of Castile who was trying to claim Joao's throne
Main entrance to the Mosteiro de Santa Maria do Vitoria. Ellen is dwarfed by the mammoth building!
Interior of church in Batalha
The Convento de Cristo looms above the little town or Tomar at dusk. The Knights Templar were enormously powerful in Portugal from the 12th to 16th centuries, and were major bankrollers of the Age of Discoveries. The castle-monastery-fort in Tomar that was their headquarters is a UNESCO World Heritage site
The Convento de Cristo above Tomar's main walking street
Our hotel on Tomar's walking street
Building on Tomar's walking street
Entrance to the Convento de Cristo through the 12th century walls
16-sided Templar church at Convento de Cristo. Supposedly the circular design allowed the knights to attend mass on horseback!
Interior courtyard at Convento de Cristo
Interior of the round Templar church; the altar is shrouded for rennovations
Stairwell at Convento de Cristo
Cloister walkway (one of many) at Convento de Cristo
Spectacular Gothic-Manueline Mosteiro de Santa Maria do Vitoria in the tiny town of Batalha, near Tomar. It was built by Joao d'Avis to commemorate the 1385 battle fought nearby in which his 6,500 Portuguese and a few hundred English soldiers repulsed the 30,000 soldiers of Juan I of Castile who was trying to claim Joao's throne
Main entrance to the Mosteiro de Santa Maria do Vitoria. Ellen is dwarfed by the mammoth building!
Interior of church in Batalha