Susan's NGTAW Blog: The Age of Discovery - exuberant Manuelian architecture

Saturday, October 26, 2019 Lisbon

Jeronimos Monastery and understanding Manueline style architecture in Lisbon - it's all about the sailors....

After our bus tour of the Baixa and Praca do Comercio areas, we took a tour of the Jeronimos Monastery to better understand the Manueline style of architecture in Lisbon. Michael and I had been there yesterday to visit the Maritime Museum, but didn't tour the actual monastery, as we knew it was a part of the AIA tour. I'm glad we waited, as we learned a good deal about why it looks the way it does. The monastery is sited at the harbor of Praia do Restelo, which was an advantageous spot for sailors because of it's safe anchorage and protection from the winds after ships entered the mouth of the Tagus (Tejo) River.

King Manuel I petitioned the Holy See to build a monastery on the site of an older Hermitage do Restelo, as he wanted the site for the final resting place of the members of his House of Aviz.

Vasco da Gama and his men spent the night in prayer at the old Hermitage on the night before they departed on their expedition to India in 1497. The construction of the monastery began in 1501 and was completed 100 years later. It was financed from a 5% tax on all the trade goods arriving from Africa and the Orient. Manuel I selected the religious order of Jeronimos to occupy the monastery, and it was their role to pray for the king's' salvation and soul and to provide spiritual assistance to navigators and sailors who departed from the port of Restelo to explore lands around the world. The monks were present for 400 years, until 1833, when the religious orders were dissolved by the state and the monastery was transferred to a charitable institutions, the Real Casa Pia de Lisboa. It's now a UNESCO site.

Ropes and sailors knots and natural elements and pinnacles and gables-lots to look at, carved in marble

The Manuelian style is a special Portuguese version of Gothic architecture that incorporates many elements of the sea and sailing. There are many natural elements - such as vegetables from the "New World" like corn and tomatoes, as well as many sailing elements, like ropes.

We entered into the South portal, which is the most ornate, designed by Juan de Castiho. It is more than 100 feet high, with many gables and pinnacles, and a statue of Prince Henry the Navigator on a pedestal between 2 doors. The tympanum above the doors shows the life of Saint Jerome, including the removal of the thorn from the lions paw.

Ornate decorations of the South portal, with Henry the Navigator and scenes from the life of St. Jerome

The main courtyard of the monastery

Pinnacles and rounded arches with many elaborate decorations - ropes and knots and vases with flowers

The Manuelian style of architecture on full display

One of King Manuel's exploration symbols - the astrolabe or armillary sphere

We passed a small fountain in one corner, guarded by a lion. Our guide said that the fountain was located in front of the refractory - the place for meals for the monks and visitors - and people used the fountain to wash up before meals.

Lion fountain in front of refractory

The refractory, completed in 1517, was large and spacious, with flat Portuguese Manualian arches forming the ceiling. The walls were covered with tiles (azulejo), illustrating scenes from the Miracle of the Bread and Fishes on the north and scenes from the life of Joseph in Egypt on the south walls.

Refractory (dining) hall with azulejos tiles on the walls

Refractory of the monastery

The nautical rope motif lines the walls of the refractory

Walking around the courtyard to enter the main church

We entered the main church from the upper choir area, because the main entrance is under construction. It's a large, soaring space, as is expected with soaring columns and flattened Portuguese arch ceilings. There are colorful stained glass windows lighting the space, and behind us were the wooden carved choir stalls.