Tomar: Templar History, Synagogue and Festa dos Tabuleiros

When looking for a hotel for a stay in Tomar, the themes of your trip can help you decide: Templar history, Jewish tradition, a recurring festival and different green spaces offer a range of possibilities. This lets you decide in advance which places and themes you would like to include in your trip.

Templar History and Architecture

Tomar Castle was built in 1160 by Gualdim Pais. The complex of the Convento de Cristo and the Templar castle includes the Romanesque Charola. The castle anchors the Templar connection to a specific year of construction; the Charola adds a Romanesque feature to the complex. You will encounter the same name again at the Church of Santa Maria do Olival, which contains the tombstone of the Templar Master D. Gualdim Pais. A named builder, a Romanesque feature and a specific tombstone thus stand side by side; Gualdim Pais links the castle to the tombstone in the church.

Synagogue and Jewish Tradition

The Sinagoga de Tomar preserves tombstones from several places in Portugal, as well as books and objects related to Jewish tradition and worship. The tombstones come from several places in Portugal, and are accompanied by books and objects from religious tradition. The building’s design is also distinctive: four columns support the ceiling, while twelve arches connect the columns inside. This brings together the collection and a clearly structured interior. If you would like to explore Jewish tradition and architectural forms together, these details offer a distinct focus for planning your trip.

The Pegões Altos Aqueduct

The Pegões Altos Aqueduct is about six kilometres long and has 180 round arches. It carries water from four springs on the outskirts of Tomar, in the Pegões area, to the Convento de Cristo. To understand the structure, its form and function go hand in hand: the round arches define its construction, while the springs and destination explain the waterway’s route. Its approximate length adds a sense of the aqueduct’s scale to this description of its function. Alongside religious and military buildings, you will also encounter an aqueduct whose purpose and architectural features are equally part of its history.

Festa dos Tabuleiros

The Festa dos Tabuleiros takes place every four years in early July. Its tradition begins on Easter Sunday with a procession of crowns and banners from all the parishes. The festival also includes the procession of the girls, the procession of the festival organiser, decorated streets, folk games, smaller processions, folk festivities and the Pêza. The programme may vary from one edition to another. So if you would like to plan your trip around the Festa, check the dates and programme for the specific edition. This helps you distinguish the recurring four-year cycle from the details of each festival when planning.

Green Spaces and Route Planning

Sete Montes National Park is a 39-hectare green space between the Convento de Cristo and Tomar city centre. It offers space for walking, relaxing, exercising and enjoying nature; there is also a playground and picnic areas. Mouchão Park offers a different landscape: it is a small island in the River Nabão, connected to Tomar by footbridges. The features relevant to your trip therefore differ: Sete Montes offers green space and leisure activities, while Mouchão Park is defined by its location in the river and its footbridge connection.

You should also take the route conditions into account when planning. The route from Tomar’s historic centre leads along Avenida Dr Vieira Guimarães. The road is quite steep and has no pavements or pedestrian crossings. Factor these conditions into your route planning.

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Go to the main travel overview: Tomar.