History:
The Convent of the Order of Christ and the Templars' Castle in
Tomar form a unique monumental ensemble in their kind. The Castle
was founded in 1160 by Dom Gualdim Pais, provincial Master of the
Order of the Temple in Portugal. The early inhabitants of Tomar
lived within its walls. The core of the fortress heart, the
Alcáçova (Citadel), with the
donjon, was built on the east side; the mystical place, the
octagonal Templar Church, was built on the west side. With the
dissolution of the Order, because of the persecutions of King
Philippe, the Beautiful, King of France, the Templars could carry
on with its sacred Cavalry mission in Portugal.
The Order of the Temple was dissolved in 1312 but their property
and, in part, their vocation were transferred, in Portugal, to the
Order of Christ, which was created in 1319. Under the auspices of
King Dinis it was founded the "Order of the Knights of Christ"
which was negotiated for four years between the monarch and the
Holy See; both the people and properties of the dissolved Order
joined the new Order. It is thanks to the Order of Christ that the
Portuguese nation opened itself to the maritime Discoveries carried
out in the 15th century. Tomar became, therefore, the headquarters
of the Order and, Prince Henry, the Navigator, their Master.
In the architectural structure of the Convent, besides the
buildings constructed around the Templar Church, there is also to
point out the ensemble of four large cloisters framed in Latin
cross by two axes, and also an aqueduct 6 km long, constructed by
King Philip I. A wooden farming area known as Mata dos Sete Montes (Wood of the Seven
Hills), due to the seven hills that surround it, makes part of the
Convent's estate.
More information about Tomar and
Order of
Christ.
The hunt
You'll have to e-mail me the date that's in the top of the
Portal do Sul /South Portal, near the given coordinates, and
sent me by e-mail (manantunes at gmail dot com) a photo of yourself
in the area, with 'Convento de Cristo'/Christ's Convent
recognizable so I can accept your log. Please don't reveal
the date in any log!
Opening hours: 9am - 5,5pm.
You don't have to pay a ticket to hunt this cache.
Don't forget:
"Cache in, trash out" and Leave No
Trace
Would you like to
know more about Geocaching
in Portugal?