Non nobis, Domine, non nobis, sed Nomini tuo da gloriam
Ordo Militiae Jesu Christi
Tomar Castle, dating from the 12th century, was commissioned by Gualdim Pais, Provincial Master of the Knights Templar, and served, from 1160 onwards, as the headquarters of the Order of the Temple – Non nobis, Domine, non nobis, sed Nomini tuo da gloriam (Psalm of David, which the Knights Templar adopted as their motto).
By 1128, the Knights Templar had already established themselves in Soure, near Coimbra, and the alliance between King Afonso Henriques and the Knights Templar lasted throughout the First Dynasty of the Portuguese Monarchy – from 1143 to 1385.
On 13 October 1307, all the Knights Templar were arrested in France.
Tried as heretics, the Knights Templar also saw their once-prosperous Order dissolved; Portugal, however, provided a safe haven: King Dinis had the foresight to come to the defence of the Order of the Temple when Pope Clement V decided to dissolve it. He obeyed the Pope, freezing the Order’s assets in Portugal, which remained under the administration of the Portuguese Crown, but went on to found, as early as 1318, the Order of Christ – Ordo Militiae Jesu Christi – and this was to have profound significance for Portugal and for Tomar.
By 1417, Infante D. Henrique was already Governor of the Order of Christ!
And it was Prince Henry himself who, at the start of the Age of Discovery, began the expansion of the Convent of Christ with the construction of two cloisters: the Cemetery Cloister and the Washing Cloister. On the site of the former Templar military quarters – in the north wing of the Castle – Prince Henry established his Royal Palace.
The founding of the Order of the Temple in 1119 – inspired by Bernard of Clairvaux – had as its mission to protect and defend the Christian kingdoms and the pilgrims travelling to the Holy Land.
The Templars – monks, second sons, aristocrats and warriors with extensive experience of battle and military architecture in the Holy Land – transformed military architecture in Portugal during the 12th century.
Tomar Castle, Almourol Castle and Pombal Castle represent major architectural innovations: they are cutting-edge castles with a tall, freestanding keep and an ‘alambor’ (a stone buttress attached to the base of the walls) which, in the case of Tomar Castle, is truly impressive!
And this is the origin of the 45 hectares of the Convent of Christ: the Alcáçova, the walled enclosure and the extraordinary architectural masterpiece that is the Charola.
This is how it was in the 12th century – what we now know as the Convent of Christ, a World Heritage Site since 1983!
The Church of the Holy Sepulchre and Solomon’s Temple – the Dome of the Rock, buildings with a central plan – are honoured by the Knights Templar in the Charola of the Convent of Christ with its 16 wall panels!
It is an evocation of Jerusalem, the site of Christ’s Resurrection.
And that is why the later depictions – during the reign of King Manuel I – of the Passion of Christ and his Resurrection had to form part of the Charola: mural paintings, panel paintings, polychrome wood carvings, gilded wood carvings and stucco work!
A wealth of decoration which, today, constitutes the most original and rare feature of the Convent of Christ.
After the year 1495
The Charola, whose octagonal structure is the original one, originally had its entrance to the east. However, King Manuel I decided to add a new entrance to the south and extended the oratory by means of a triumphal arch.
The Manueline nave, designed by Diogo de Arruda (1510–1513) and completed by João de Castilho (1513–1515), provided the convent church with more spacious areas: adjoining the Charola is an assembly hall, a sacristy – the Chapter House – and, above this, the church choir – the Upper Choir.
It is in the Chapter House that the famous Chapter Window, designed by Diogo Arruda and built between 1510 and 1513, is located; it stands as a symbol of Portuguese maritime expansion and of King Manuel’s imperial vision for Portugal.
In 1528, King João III ordered the construction of a new and magnificent convent around the church that had been enlarged by King Manuel I.
The new monastic complex will have its buildings arranged around five cloisters in the Renaissance style.
Between 1580 and 1640 (the period of Spanish rule over Portugal), further construction work continued on the new convent: the Main Cloister was completed and the New Sacristy was built within the Cemetery Cloister.
The façade was altered by the arches of the magnificent Pegões Aqueduct – 6 kilometres long, with 180 round arches – designed by Filippo Trezi in the late 16th and early 18th centuries to carry water to the Convent.
In the final years of the 17th century, further works were carried out: the large Infirmary and the New Apothecary, which form an integral part of the Convent of Christ’s current monumental character. The conversion of the west wing of the Corvos Cloister into a neoclassical mansion bears witness to the architecture and tastes of the 19th century.
The convent’s grounds include an area of woodland, park and garden: the Mata dos Sete Montes.
39 hectares spread across seven hills, home to centuries-old olive trees, holm oaks, oaks, stone pines, maritime pines and cypresses.
Charolinha, a country house built in the heart of the forest around 1545–1550 by the architect João de Castilho – surrounded by a circular pond and an access bridge – was, for centuries, the enchanting surprise of the Mata dos Sete Montes. On 28 January 2026, it was destroyed by Storm Kristin.
A magnificent symphony!
The main cloister of the Convent of Christ
It is one of the finest examples of European Renaissance architecture.
It marks Portugal’s embrace of Renaissance cosmopolitanism through the design of the architect Diogo de Torralva.
It is an extraordinary structure: three arches repeated along the sides of a quadrangular plan – the plan of the cloister – interspersed with columns that differ from floor to floor!
This composition, with its varying rhythms and scales – straight horizontal and vertical lines, and the succession of arches – creates a masterful aesthetic harmony! A striking contrast to the intricate stonework of the Convent of Christ from the time of King Manuel I!
The Convent of Christ uniquely blends different historical periods!
It is a magnificent showcase of architecture!
King João III – son of King Manuel I – commissioned João de Castilho to build this cloister but, inexplicably, towards the end of his life, King João III decided to redesign it, and so it was that the architect Diogo de Torralva transformed this cloister into a magnificent work of art.
He fulfilled the commission of Dona Catarina, wife of King João III, who had by then passed away, though not before discussing the cloister’s design with Diogo de Torralva. It is no wonder that the copy of Vitruvius’s *Treatise*, a work from the 1st century BC, which had since been discovered, was commissioned to be translated by Pedro Nunes at his royal behest – a fact that speaks volumes about King João III’s erudition.
Diogo de Torralva had the genius to retain, in his redesign, the work of João de Castilho, the original architect of this cloister!
Opening hours
From October to March
09:00 - 17:30 (last entry at 17:00)
From April to September
09:00 - 18:30 (last entry at 18:00)
Closes on January 1st, May 1st and December 25th.
