Mosteiro dos Jeronimos (Jeronimos Monastery)

The Royal Monastery of Santa Maria de Belem, commonly known as Jeronimos Monastery, is Portugal's most magnificent example of Manueline architecture and the country's most visited heritage site. Commissioned by King Manuel I in 1501 and taking nearly a century to complete, this limestone masterpiece was built to commemorate Vasco da Gama's successful voyage to India and to serve the Order of Saint Jerome. Located in the historic Belem district on the banks of the Tagus River, where Portuguese caravels once departed for the New World, the monastery stands as a testament to Portugal's Golden Age of Discoveries. The complex showcases the work of master architects including Diogo de Boytac and Joao de Castilho, with its intricate stone carvings featuring nautical themes, exotic motifs, and royal heraldry. The monastery's church contains the tombs of Vasco da Gama and poet Luis de Camoes, while the stunning two-story cloister is considered one of Europe's finest examples of late Gothic architecture. Surviving the devastating 1755 earthquake that destroyed much of Lisbon, the monastery was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983, recognizing its extraordinary universal value.