Convento de Cristo - Tomar, Portugal

A life's work - unfinished

Tomar, Portugal - view from the castle wall

Have you walked along a castle wall on a cool spring morning and looked at an ancient city below?

Tomar Castle

Footpath and handrail along the castle wall

Have you explored the gardens of an almost 900 year old castle where the only sounds are bird songs?

45 hectares or 111 acres of gardens and land surround the castle

Seen the orange trees blossoming in the castle’s gardens and smelled their fragrance?

Experienced the peacefulness and beauty of cultivated landscapes?

The rotunda shown in the background is a central component of the Convent of Christ

Felt joy or awe when seeing the magnificent beauty of old Portuguese architecture?
I experienced all of these feelings when I visited the Convent of Christ in Tomar on a cool spring morning this spring.

South portal at the Convent of Christ in Tomar, Portugal

Central fountain in main cloister connected to aqueduct in 1619

The church within the Convent of Christ and a friar's cell

Unfinished chapter house in the Convent of Christ

The unfinished spaces in this monument, and others I’ve visited, are the most intriguing to me. King Manuel started the chapter house above in 1513; however, he never finished it. Looking at his ancient beautiful creation made me think about my own life’s work and what I have not yet finished. As an elder going into the last phase of this life journey, I’m thinking about what feels unfinished in my own life. What do I need to do now in my daily life to complete my work? Including, particularly, with relationships? What do I, still, want to provide to - or share with - those who will continue on in this world?

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Resources

Convent of Christ - This site has the best summary I’ve found of the centuries of remarkable history at the Castle of Tomar and the Convent of Christ.

UNESCO World Heritage Site - In 1983, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCCO) designated the monumental complex which includes the Tomar Castle and the Convent of Christ as a World Heritage Site. UNESCO found that the monuments are a “masterpiece of human creative genius.”

For those with a residency card, there is no charge to visit the Convent of Christ. For those without one, the charge is 15 euros. For individuals 65 or over, families, or young people, there is a 50% discount on tickets.

What I’m Reading

The Portuguese: A Modern History by Barry Hatton

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I’m interested in recommendations readers may have of any Portuguese history books, in English, that are engaging and provide a history of the region going back to at least 1160. If you have recommendations, please drop them in the comments below.