Afternoon Activities
Afternoon Activity
The Convento de Cristo in the Templar Castle of Tomar
The famous round Convento was built in the 12th century within the main seat of the Portuguese Templars, and was modeled after the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem where the Order had its origin. Our visit will introduce us to the symbols of the Grail Knights, the Rose Cross and early Christianity found within this iconic structure. We will also experience its beautiful Romanesque, Gothic and Manueline architecture, and gaze more deeply into the heart of the world of the Knights Templar. Adjacent to the castle are a tranquil walled forest and garden for contemplative walks.
Afternoon Activity
Walking Tour of Tomar and Visit to the Abraham Zacuto Museum and Synagogue
One of the most atmospheric towns in central Portugal, Tomar is filled with tiny lanes and cobbled streets, an elegant square, and everywhere the presence of the great castle and its crenelated walls above. The most important stronghold of the Knights Templar on the Iberian Peninsula, Tomar is said to have been built to reflect the holy city of Jerusalem. It had an integral role in centuries of Portuguese history, from the founding of the country in the 12th century to the Age of Discovery. This guided tour into the heart of Tomar will also visit the Charola, the 16-sided Templar church with its two serene, blue-tiled cloisters built during the time of Henry the Navigator. We’ll also visit Portugal’s oldest synagogue. Built between 1430 and 1460, it features its original interior columns and arches and was classified as a national monument in 1921.
Afternoon Activity
the portuguese hermetic museum (in vila nova da barquina)
This museum is one of only two on Hermeticism in the world, and a true counterpart to the Rittman Library in Amsterdam. Its collection emphasizes and pays tribute to Portuguese (and Portuguese speaking) Hermetic philosophers (alchemists, astrologers, Kabbalists, seers, etc.), the majority of them completely unknown abroad (except of course the famous Fernando Pessoa).
Afternoon Activity
A Visit to Almourol Castle
This mysterious castle was built on an island in the Tejo river sometime around 1162 by the Templar Grand Master Gualdim de Pais. It is remarkable not only because of the architectural techniques adopted by the Templar Order, but because of evidence found at the castle that is said to reveal a secret teaching of the Knights Templar – one that is present today in legends and alive in certain esoteric literature.
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