Geronimos

Geronimos (Jerónimos Monastery)

Upon seeing the world-famous Jerónimos Monastery, Jerónimos, the Portuguese poet Fernando Pessoa exclaimed with feeling: “This is a poem in stone that everyone must see to remember for a lifetime!”

General information

Fernando Pessoa was right. There is nothing like visiting this monastery complex in Lisbon. Geronimos was built on the vow of Manuel I. If Vasco da Gama returned safely from India, the king vowed to build a monastery next to the one erected by da Gama’s former patron, Henry the Navigator.

So that the famous traveler did not change his luck, Manuel did not skimp on the construction of a grandiose lighthouse tower in the nearest harbor, at the mouth of the Tagus River. Both the Jerónimos Monastery and the tower were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

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In the early 16th century, at the height of the Age of Discovery, Portugal was at the height of its power. Pioneers such as Vasco da Gama and Pedro Álvarez Cabral had sailed the oceans. Lisbon, a city at the mouth of the Tagus, was the doorway to the New World, to the world domination of King Manuel I the Lucky. He was never a diplomat, but he dreamed of power and glory. In his dreams, Portugal was becoming the ruler of the world, and in his efforts to show everyone the power of his country, Manuel unknowingly became one of the most active builders in Europe.

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In 1516 he erected the Torri de Belem, the Belem Tower, a fortified lighthouse at the mouth of the Tagus River. After all, it was from Lisbon harbor that his sailors departed on their long voyages. They returned to this harbor in ships filled with exotic treasures and spices, guided by the light of the lighthouse built for them by their lord. Thanks to its fortifications, the Belem Tower served as a stronghold in the defense of the Portuguese capital. For as Portugal’s wealth and power grew, more and more pirates were drawn to its main harbor, tempted by the splendor of luxury.

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To work on the tower project, Manuel invited the most experienced and talented mason, who thoroughly knew both the peculiarities of fortifications and the fine taste of his formidable king. As a result, the powerful lines of the military object were softened by decorative elements and motifs borrowed from various parts of the world.

Geronimos is rightly considered one of the wonders of world architecture. When Vasco da Gama actually returned safely from his voyage to India and brought back a full cargo of spices and other unseen things, Manuel I immediately ordered the construction to begin. It was used for the money raised from the sale of the spices delivered by Vasco da Gama to his king.