Convent of Christ

I was wrong when I thought Tomar was a small town! The city is definitely worth a visit for its historical beauty and Templar influence, especially if you visit during the medieval festival season. As for the Convent of Christ, it's a visit that can take more than two hours; the building is quite large, and together with the castle, you can easily spend an entire day visiting it. In addition to the impressive architecture, you can enjoy an exhibition on medieval clothing, there are countless spaces to take an immense number of artistic photographs, and the light there is wonderful. It also has gardens and is pet-friendly. The service at the entrance is fast, you can use the 52-pass for Portuguese residents with your NIF, and of course, there's a 50% discount for those over 65 (general admission €15). I encourage you to visit the souvenir shop inside because it has very good prices, compared to the shop at the exit. They also have a cafe inside, which I enjoyed more than the one outside the building. Definitely a must visit in Portugal!

It’s stunning and spectacular! The space is huge and the arty decoration is phenomenal! It’s way more worth for a visit than Belem. Even though Tomar is a bit far, but the town is lovely so I’d recommend to plan a day trip here.

An important landmark for Portuguese history. From the Convent of Christ, home to the Order of the Portuguese Templars, started the reconquering of land from the moors. Nowadays a must, to remember the values on which the country was founded and what it meant to stand up for them. Obs (Dec 2025): Currently undergoing maintenance works. Some areas with limited access.

We were only in Tomar for a single evening en route elsewhere, but visited the Convent (and the accompanying Castle) for a few hours before we left the town the next morning. It was a good activity that we enjoyed! Added with the walk around the (exterior) Castle, it was as couple hours well spent. We bought tickets to the Convent online in advance so basically just walked right in. The Convent is quite large, and the self-guided tour through it is easy to follow with decent signage. It wasn't too busy when we were there (a Friday morning in late September) and it was very interesting to walk through this historic site. There is a parking lot right out front, and it wasn't busy when we got there fairly early in the morning, but when we left a few hours later it appeared full! The rest rooms were out of service due to a water issue in the toilets, so we had to go to the little cafe near the parking lot (and pay for toilet access) but that was really the only drawback.

Beautiful place, enormous building, rich history. Parking is somewhat limited, we parked at a second parking lot a bit further from the castle, but had to return early because we only paid for 3h of parking and didn't want to get a ticket. First reason for deducting 1 star: signalisation could be better, a toilet stop in the middle would be useful because it took a while to walk all the way from the middle to the end (not yet realizing how massive the place is) and even more time to get back to my family because it can be a maze of corridors, rooms and stairs. Second reason: we ate a pizza at the restaurant near the end and, while it was not bad, we paid more for that pizza (17.5€ each) than we did for any other food during our entire 9-day stay in Portugal, including a fancy restaurant. Finally, a minor remark: the place is far from accessible to wheelchairs or strollers, there are stairs everywhere. I'm not deducting stars for that because it would ruin the place to build elevators everywhere, but people need to know before they plan a visit.

The Convento de Cristo in Tomar is one of those places that feel suspended in time, a stone labyrinth where the echoes of the Knights Templar still linger. Originally built as the headquarters of the Templars in Portugal, it later became the home of the Order of Christ, carrying that same air of mystery and quiet power. The main church, the Charola is extraordinary, its circular design was inspired by the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, a direct architectural link between Portugal and the Holy Land. Inside, the space glows with medieval frescoes, gold leaf, and a sense of sacred geometry that feels spiritual and beautiful. The rest of the convent unfolds like a dream of stone, cloisters upon cloisters, Manueline windows crawling with rope and coral motifs, and corridors that seem to hum with history. You can almost imagine the Templar knights walking through at dusk, the weight of centuries in their silence. It’s not just a monument; it’s a story carved in limestone, blending faith, art, and mystery. Whether you’re drawn by history or atmosphere, Convento de Cristo is one of the most powerful and beautiful places in Portugal. Well worth the visit when in Tomar.

Very interesting museum, shows the importance of the building to the Order of Christ. Quite an affordable stop as well, with children being half the price. Strongly recommended.

Went here on a whim and we were amazed. Such a beautiful place and so much history. If you are in the area or a drives away it is very much worth the trip. So impressive and the history and structures just can’t be described. It is a bit of a maze but it makes it all that more exciting and impressive. Go down all the stairs walk all the hallways. August 2025 prices were €15 per person and there is a restaurant to eat at. The castle de Tomar can be visited for free at the moment at a separate entrance but only to walk the property no visiting inside.

If you like the story of the Knights Templar you should come here. This was Called the Convent of Christ. It was the temple where the Knights Templar lived when they were betrayed by the king of France and disbanded by the pope and fled France. Those who survived fled to Portugal where King Dinis reamed them the Knights of Christ. The symbol of the Knights of Christ is slightly different than the Knights Templar but you can see the similarity. The inner chapel is very ornate and beautiful which showed the money that they had. I loved putting the history together with the actual place.

My wife and I were here on a Gate1 tour. The Convent of Chris is a former Catholic convent. It was nearby in Tomar, surrounded by the walls of the Tomar Castle. It was originally a 12th-century Knights Templar stronghold, when the order was dissolved in the 14th century the Portuguese branch was turned into the Knights of the Order of Christ, that later supported Portugal's maritime discoveries of the 15th century. The convent and castle complex are a historic and cultural monument and was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1983. It is really magnificent Romanesque Church.

A remarkable UNESCO World Heritage Site, full of unbelievable history. This the Portuguese headquarters of the Knight Templar from 1160 until it was disbanded in 1314. Sit on top of hill overlooking the old town. The church is magnificent. Then you see the dormitories. Small and very modest rooms.

This UNESCO World Heritage Site is a "must-see" when you're in Portugal. The twelfth century Romanesque round church is amazing, modeled after the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem. The heavily ornate Manueline architecture of the convent recalls the maritime exploits of the age of discovery. Allow plenty of time to explore this fascinating complex.

This is my last of the combo ticket I bought near middle of Portugal to visit. I am actually amazed by the beauty inside the church. This place is combine the Tomar Castle, the Convent, and the Templar church. It is a huge place. Minimum 1.5 hours. I still feel 1.5 hours may not enough for normal people to explore the entire compound. The castle wall walk is close during my visit. It is important to know there are two parking area. Because the top parking is always full, you need to know there is a lower level parking area. Parking is not free. The castle build around 11 century, the convent build in 13 century. This is UNESCO site has a lot history. The most important and beautiful chamber is the the Templar round church. I was amaze by the painted concave round ceilings. It one kind of architecture design. Beauty as it, I spend the most time to see every detail. The convent include the courtyard, infirmary, garden, spiral staircase and more. The famous chapter house window is nice to visit. The Cloister of the king also great to take a break and enjoy the fantastic architectural.

What can I say but that this place is amazing! The culture, history, and architectural structure of the building will leave you in aww. I definitely recommend reading a bit about the history of the place before going and taking a guided tour if that is an option. We were on a tour with GoCosmos and our local guide Sandra was simply amazing. She really had a way with words that engaged the audience while bringing History to life. My 11 y.o. son throughly enjoyed the tour. If you can visit I would recommend doing so, this is an experience you definitely do not want to miss. Other notes: there was a good sized dedicated parking lot, employees are scarce about the building and without a tour you may just find yourself wandering the large castle with questions since the signs are not all translated which is okay if that's your thin

Beautiful August day to tour this monastery! If one is in Tomar, Portugal don't miss the opportunity to visit!

beautiful old castle and convent. undergoing a bit of restoration now, but still worth the hike. acoustics in chapels are phenomenal.

This is one imposing fortress overlooking Tomar. We made this short stop on our way from Porto to Evora. My sister is a big fan of stuff like this and the Knights Templar so it was a must stop for her - for the rest of us it was OK. The structure itself is pretty cool and the circular "altar" is unlike anything I have ever seen. The signage is a bit sparse so I am sure we would have gotten more out of it if we were on a tour. After almost two weeks of churches, monasteries, castles, palaces, and fortresses I think I am getting history weary... One practical note: the top parking lot is very small so we parked on a nearby street only to discover on our way out that there was another parking lot on a lower level - no where did we see signs about the overflow parking....

This castle dominates the skyline of quaint Tomar, its quite omnipresence is further developed once you approach the imposing entrance. It is something out of a history book, battlements, courtyards, and murderholes. The gardens are beautiful, and just having a walk around outside is well worth it, however for a modest entrance fee you can tour the immense ancient monastery, with its seemingly endless courtyards, and lovingly crafted chambers. The visit Convento de Cristo is quite spectacular, there is a lot of walking, and a lot of things to see, so come ready to engage with the site.

Absolutely love it! If you like architecture, history and art prepare yourself to spend at least a couple of hours exploring the church, the convent, the ruins of the castle - so bring your comfortable shoes and do pay attention as steps can be uneven and slippery. Make sure you walk around the gardens before getting in because the exit is on the opposite side and you won't come back to the gardens. You need to take a photo at the manueline window that's in every history of architecture book! Get your camera ready but be respectful, it is a church after all and take in the fact that some of this was built in the 12th century! And count on being surrounded by tourists, being listed in the UNESCO World Heritage makes it a prominent site and you usually can hear multiple languages.