The Jeronimos Monastery is the most famous and visited monument in Lisbon, a symbol of Portuguese identity and culture.
It was built in 1502 in the Manueline style (a Portuguese artistic expression that mixes Gothic and Renaissance elements) and dedicated to St. Jerome, protector of sailors
The Monastery was built by King Manuel I to celebrate the return of Vasco da Gama after discovering the route to India.
According to a legend, the location of the monastery was chosen because it was here that the Ermida do Restelo, the church where Vasco da Gama and his crew spent time praying, before embarking on the journey, was located.
The cloister of the Jeronimos Monastery is one of the most beautiful in Europe and is the most famous area of the complex. Built in a square shape, it measures 55 meters on each side, with two orders of mullioned windows along all sides.
The cloister is overlooked by the refectory and the Chapter House, while the upper portico is connected to the high choir of the church.
Near the Jeronimos Monastery is the Church of Santa Maria.
The Church of Santa Maria, Gothic in appearance, has a Latin cross plan with three naves of equal height joined by a ceiling supported by six columns. Inside are the tombs of the explorer Vasco da Gama and the poet Luís Vaz de Camões.
