Conquered by Christians in the First Crusade in 1098, Jerusalem was again surrounded by the Arabs in 1116. It was at that time that Hugues de Poiens, cousin of Saint Bernard and Godefroid de Saint-Omer, French nobles, swore in the church of the Holy Sepulcher (the temple of Christians) to live in perpetual poverty and defend the pilgrims who came to the Holy Land. The Order of the Poor Knights of Christ was born, renamed, in 1118, as Order of the Knights of the Temple - the Templars.
You will visit the Castle of Tomar and the Convent of Christ which was the seat of the Order of the Templars and the Order of Christ. Classified by UNESCO in 1983 as a World Heritage Site.
Built on a small rocky island in the middle of the Tagus River, the Castle of Almourol is one of the most romantic and emblematic medieval monuments in Portugal for its meaning and the surrounding landscape. Imagine a place where everything conspires in favor of Beauty! You will visit Constancia Known by Poem Village.
Pickup included
Avoid the stress of traveling by public transport or a shared tour and choose the comfort and safety in the company of your private guide who will pick you up at your hotel in a comfortable vehicle with the Clean & Safe Seal guarantee. Travel time from Lisbon to Tomar approximately 1h30 (140km)
French King Philip IV owed money to the Order of the Templars. In 1307, bankrupt and fearing the influence of the Templars, he allied himself with Pope Clement V and began to persecute and arrest the Templars on false charges. In 1310, 54 Templars were burned alive in an auto-da-fe held in the public square in Paris. In 1317, only one kingdom acted against the Pope's will: Portugal! King Dom Dinis founds the Order of Christ and transfers all the assets of the Templars to the new Order. Portugal becomes a haven for Templars still alive and persecuted across Europe. The Convent of Christ, in Tomar, becomes the strongbox of secrets that the inquisition was unable to extract and the headquarters of the Order of Christ. The Order of Christ was the pillar that led the Portuguese to lead the great era of the Discoveries, perpetuating the Templar legacy You will visit the Castle of Tomar and the Convent of Christ which was the seat of the Order of the Templars and the Order of Christ.
Considered one of the richest museum cities in Portugal, Tomar was donated in 1160 by the first king of Portugal, Dom Afonso Henriques, to the Templars, who years later started building the Castle. The Convent of Christ and the city are related to the organic path of the Nabao River that is part of the Cultural landscape of the Templar City of Tomar.
Choose to be picked up from a list of locations
Please arrive at the pick up point 5 minutes before departure time.
Pickup and Drop-off at your hotel/accommodation in Lisbon and the surroundings The driver/guide uses an identification with his name and that of our company through a badge. Pickup locations other than specified are available upon request. However, an additional fee may apply. Please consult us so that we can assess this situation.
You can present either a paper or an electronic voucher for this activity