Tomar is famous as an important centre of the Knights Templar. Its Convent of Christ is a Unesco World Heritage site and it is a true jewel of Portugal. I cannot overstate this: IF YOU ARE GOING TO PORTUGAL, DO NOT MISS TOMAR’s Convent of Christ.
The ride to Tomar from Pombal was a short one (50 km) but there were some climbs (923m). Enough exertion in dry sunshine to lend a certain level of fatigue to the post-arrival routines (esp. in light of my, er, collywobbles the previous evening) (not to be dramatic but…).
Tomar is, as John mentioned above, Knights Templar central. (They “arguably qualify as the world’s first multi-national corporation”). Evidence of the organization and their successors, the “Order of Christ” and then the “Supreme Order of Christ”, is everywhere: in the trim on buildings, in the symbols on the tiles you walk on, and in the castle and spectacular convent at the top of the hill.
We stowed the bikes after we arrived (on a really nifty green roof parking lot), and then walked up the hill to the castle.
N.B. My hips and knees are becoming resentful of these pedestrian ascents, especially after a few hours of cycling. Just thought I’d lob that out there. It’s hard work, and I’m glad I am doing this while I can. (I hear my mother’s voice: “travel while you can”. Accessibility isn’t always an option. So, we walk.) We got to the top, and John was keen to traverse the perimeter of the high castle walls which were hot and VERY WINDY. Oy. Sore knees, sore hips, and vertigo. Someone was IN A VERY BAD MOOD. (See photo.)
Tomar is where Gualdim Pais is buried in a pantheon in town, there is a huge statue of him in town. (See John in the photo checking his walking tour App, in front of a small church with a circular window.) Pais fought against the Moors, was a Knight Templar, founded the castle at Tomar, went to Palestine, was ordained as the fourth grandmaster, 1157, and founded Pombal. Google him and google the Knights themselves. They’re a real phenom if you haven’t encountered them before. (Or if you haven’t read any Dan Brown…)
The convent itself? Well it will take your breath away. I was not expecting to see that.
The best-preserved medieval synagogue in Portugal is also in Tomar (closed in 1492 because, well, that’ll also involve a Google on your part that will leave you shaking your head) but unfortunately it was closed on Monday.
The ride to Tomar is through fertile farmland – olive groves. Pine trees. Fig trees.
The last photo, below, is what your Ride with GPS App looks like when you forget to finish your journey. LOL.
