The Mosteiro dos Jerónimos, in English the Jerónimos Monastery, is one of the most visited monuments in Lisbonand even in Portugal.
There are several reasons for this:
- Architectural: the Mosteiro dos Jerónimos is a majestic example of Manueline art, one of the best preserved of its time (the other example often cited is the Belém Tower)
- Historical: the Mosteiro dos Jerónimos was built to thank Vasco da Gama for his exceptional maritime discoveries; legend also has it that it was the monastery’s monks who invented the famous Pastel de Nata recipe, secretly kept by the establishment next to the monastery, bearing the evocative name “Pastéis de Belém”
- Geographical: its construction in Belém is no coincidence: it’s from this district of Lisbon that the great expeditions set off, in which the navigator took part and whose memory remains vivid, including internationally; as an aside, you can admire the statue of Vasco da Gama in the town of Sines in the Alentejo (south of Lisbon), as it’s the town where he was born.
The Mosteiro dos Jerónimos is already the subject of many blog articles and official websites, and appears in many guides… We won’t repeat all that here; we simply want to provide additional concrete information that we think is useful to know beforehand 🙂
What is worth dwelling on during your visit? What useful tips should you follow before going? We answer all these questions in this article!
The best time to visit the Mosteiro dos Jerónimos
Unquestionably the morning! If you’re lucky enough to stay in Lisbon for a week, I advise you to go on a Tuesday — you’ll avoid the weekend tourists and school groups, and there are generally fewer people in the morning. Contrary to what you can read in many articles, it’s only free on Sunday morning for national residents, i.e. people living in Portugal…
The monument opens its doors at 10am, so here is the itinerary I recommend: go to the “Pastéis de Belém” bakery on the “takeaway” queue side and enjoy your pastel with a coffee in the garden located behind the McDonald’s.
Be ready at 9:45am in front of the entrance so you don’t have to queue excessively and can enjoy a still-uncrowded monastery!
The places to linger in the Mosteiro dos Jerónimos
Here is a list of the places we prefer when visiting the monastery:
- The exterior doors and the main façade of the monastery: it’s what catches the eye first, and rightly so! On the top of the main doorway, for example, you can admire the 3 scenes depicting the birth of Christ
- The monastery church, accessible directly at the entrance: I advise you to do it last as its access is completely free; it’s a quiet place so you won’t be bothered by the hubbub of other visitors; this church holds, among others, the precious tombs of Vasco da Gama, Luís de Camões, King Manuel I and Queen Catarina…
- The cloister, a marvel of architecture, is generally visitors’ favourite place with its green spaces, its unique columns and its considerable openings; intended for the monks’ isolation and prayer, it notably houses the tomb of a beloved author: Fernando Pessoa!
- The refectory is a must, especially for its 18th-century azulejos
- The chapter house is particularly beautiful, but there’s no need to linger there for hours
- The Maritime Museum is little known but extremely interesting; it’s also very fun for the youngest, with all its models depicting the various ships that have existed over the centuries. It’s also wonderfully instructive on the history of the great Portuguese discoveries
Voyage à Lisbonne wishes you an excellent visit 🙂
