Church in the Monastary of Jeronimos

The Church of Santa Maria de Belém is the best-known section of the Jerónimos Monastery. Built in gothic style and is home to is home to tomb of Vasco da Gama, Portuguese kings and queens, including Manuel I and Jan III, as well as the famous poet Luis de Camoes. The interior is covered with mirror and star vaults, and the columns were decorated in the 16th century with Manueline style decorations

The Western portal, transition from the Gothic style to Renaissance, by sculptor Nicolau Chanterene, 1517 and is the entrance to the church.

The church is free to visit.

Entering the church.

The first thing you will see when you enter is the Chapel of Our Lord of the Steps.

When the Brotherhood of Our Lord of the Steps was founded in the 17th century, this chapel was dedicated to Our Lord of the Steps. It was also at this time that it gained its ostensible altar and finishing in gilded carving.

In 1803, the Portuguese painter António de Oliveira Bernardes added four paintings of angels holding the instruments of the Passion of Christ.

Sculpture of Jesus Christ.

Tomb of Luis de Camoes-Circa 1894

Luis de Camoes is a celebrated as the author of the epic poem the Luslads, first published in 1572. Luis de Camoes has become a national symbol with universal expression.

On the occasion of the celbration for 300 years since his death (6/10/1880), his mortal remains were transferred here from the demolisheed church of Santa Ana.

This tomb which was completed in 1894 by sculptors Vitor Bastos and Costa Mota features late Gothic elements and formal styles.

Once inside there are six massive and tall tree trunk like columns that soared and spread wide into the cobwebby ceiling

With a Latin cross plan, it’s surmounted by an intricate polynervated vault, which in turn is supported by six richly decorated columns.

The church has a single nave that is held up by six beautifully sculpted columns and the church seems to go on forever

The nave is toward the end.

Gothic vaults ceiling in which the structural ribs form a net-like pattern.

It’s called the “hall church”, because its three naves are all the same height, creating a unique and uniform interior space

Stained-glass windows.

Chapel of the Virgin Mary.

The choir stalls in oak and chestnut wood, of Flemish and Italian influence, were designed by Diogo de Torralva and executed by Diogo de Çarça and Filipe de Vries

There is three chapels in this Jerónimos Monastery: the North Chapel of the Transept, the Main Chapel, and the South Chapel of the Transept. All three chapels constitute the Royal Pantheon (or National Pantheon, since 2016).

This one is the Main Chapel with the organ on the right.

The Main Chapel houses the tombs of King Manuel I, Queen Maria of Aragon and Castile (his second wife), King João III (the eldest son of King Manuel I and his successor to the throne) and Queen Catherine of Austria (his wife).

The altarpiece painted by Lourenco de Salzedo, where episodes of the Passion of the Christ and the Adoration of the Magi are depicted.

The original Main Chapel by Diogo Boitaca was replaced by the current one, commissioned by Queen Catherine of Austria in 1571. And the chosen artist was Jerónimo de Ruão, which is why it contrasts with the Manueline structure of the Church of the Jerónimos Monastery.

Ceiling in the Main Chapel.

The second chapels is the North Chapel of the Transept which is on the left of the main Chapel.

In the North Chapel of the Transept, you can see the tombs of the sons of King Manuel I (D. Fernando, D. António, D. Afonso, D. Luís, D. Carlos, D. Duarte, and D. Maria) and Cardinal D. Henrique (or King Henry I of Portugal). The latter is the largest chest in the center.

The third one is the South Chapel of the Transept, which is very similar to the North Chapel of the Transept in terms of configuration.

Both were designed by Jerónimo de Ruão at the end of the 16th century, to complement the Royal Pantheon of the Main Chapel.

Tomb of Vasco de Gama -Circa 1894 is one of the main attractrion of the Jeronimos Monastery.

Vasco de Gama greatest accomplishment was the discovery the sea route to India in 1498.

Returing to Lisbon the following year, he was welcomed triumplhantly by King Manuel I, who awarded him the title of Dom "Admiral of the seas of Arabia, Persia, India, and all the Orient".

The year in which the tomb was completed and the name of the sponsor are inscribed in the tomb's base.

Transferred to the Church of Santa Maria de Belém in 1880, its tomb chest was sculpted by Vítor Bastos e Costa Mota, in 1894 and in neo-Manueline style

The decorative elements of the Tomb of Vasco da Gama include the famous symbols of the Age of Portuguese Discoveries and King Manuel I, like the cross of the Order of Christ, the caravel, and the armillary sphere, as well as plant motifs.

View of the entrance door and the upper choir on top from the Nave.

Our visit is over and we are on way out.

Exit/Entrance door to the church.

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