Point of interest
Mosteiro dos Jerónimos
in Lisboa, Portugal
Magnificent Manueline monastery in Belém, also UNESCO-listed – arguably the city's most spectacular building.
Where it is
In the Belém district on Praça do Império, a short walk from the Tagus waterfront and the Belém Tower.
Address: Praça do Império, 1400-206 Lisbon
What it is
The monastery is the foremost example of the Manueline style, its stonework woven with ropes, spheres and other nautical motifs. The intricately carved church and the two-storey cloister are the highlights. A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983 and one of Lisbon's most visited landmarks.
History
King Manuel I ordered the monastery built from 1501 as thanks for Vasco da Gama's successful voyage to India, funded by a tax on the profits of the overseas trade. Construction spanned most of the 16th century under master builders such as Diogo de Boitaca and João de Castilho. The church holds the tombs of Vasco da Gama and the poet Luís de Camões.