Route of the Templars

We start the tour with a visit to Monastery of Santa Maria da Vitória, known as the Batalha Monastery, a masterpiece of man, as recognized by UNESCO to classify it as a World Heritage Site.

Warrant build in 1388 by King John I, in fulfillment of the promise made to the Virgin Mary, where Portugal won Spain in Aljubarrota Battle. It was built over two centuries, during the reign of seven kings. It’s a jewel of gothic flamboyant (late gothic) and Manueline architecture. It was the first pantheon of Portuguese kings, houses the tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and it’s a symbol of royal power and divine legitimation of the Avis dynasty.

In the next stop, we will visit Monastery of Alcobaça. Founded in 1153, it connects the history of independence from Portugal to the history of the Cistercian Order in our country. It’s tagged as one of the most prestigious monasteries in medieval Europe and the largest in Gothic style in Portugal, it was classified by UNESCO as World Heritage. Inside you can enjoy the tombs of Dom Pedro and Dona Inês, protagonists of one of the most beautiful love stories of royalty

We follow towards Tomar, a city with a very important role in Portuguese and World History and closely related to the monk’s route of the Order of Knights Templar.

We will visit the Convent of Christ. Situated high on a hill, was founded in 1160 by the Grand Master of the Templars, Dom Gualdim Pais. The Convent of Christ belonged to the medieval Knights Templar and was the headquarters of its heiress, the Order of Christ. In the 15th century, Prince Henry planned here most of his explorations to the New World. It is quoted as the pinnacle of the Manueline style in Portugal and is classified by the UNESCO as World Heritage.