UNESCO World Heritage–listed Monastery of St. Jerome (Mosteiro dos Jerónimos) is one of Lisbon’s most elaborate buildings. Inspired by Vasco da Gama’s voyage to India, King Manuel I commissioned the edifice in the 1500s to thank the Virgin Mary for a successful journey. For 400 years, the monastery’s monks gave guidance and comfort to sailors.
The Basics
The Monastery of St. Jerome, aka Jeronimos Monastery, is deservedly one of Lisbon’s top highlights. A jewel in the sights-studded Belem district, the 16-century monastery remains a powerful symbol of Portugal’s might and wealth during its Age of Discovery. Vasco da Gama is interred here, eternally resting among massive columns, an impressive stone ceiling, and stunning Manueline cloisters.
Many Lisbon tours visit the monastery and discuss its Gothic architectural style as well as the history of Portugal’s Age of Discovery. Some tours focus on the popular neighborhood of Belem while others venture farther afield into other districts across the city. Lisbon’s hop-on hop-off sightseeing buses, which enable travelers to explore the city at their own pace, also stop at the monastery.
Things to Know Before You Go
- The Monastery of St. Jerome is a must-visit for architecture and history lovers, and all first-time visitors to Lisbon.
- The complex also houses the Maritime Museum (Museu de Marinha) and the National Archeology Museum (Museu Nacional de Arqueología), both with separate entrance fees.
- The monastery offers tactile tours to the visually impaired. The church and lower cloister are accessible to those with reduced mobility.
How to Get There
The monastery stands proud in Lisbon’s waterfront district of Belem. Take tram 15 toward Alges or Belem and get off at the Jeronimos Monastery. You can also take the Cascais train line from Cais do Sodre to Belem station.
When to Get There
The Jeronimos Monastery is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 5:30pm from October to May and from 10am to 6:30pm from May to September. The monastery is closed on January 1, Easter Sunday, May 1, June 13, and December 25. Lisbon is quite crowded during the summer months, so consider visiting between October and June for a quieter experience.
Keeper of History
The Monastery of St. Jerome continues to be an important place in Lisbon history. Not only did the monastery see thousands of sailors off to the seas for more than four centuries. But it is also home to the tombs of explorer Vasco da Gama, literary great Fernando Pessoa, King Manuel, King Sebastiao, Romantic writer Alexandre Herculano, and venerated 16th-century poet Luís Vaz de Camões.