[PT]
O Mosteiro dos Jerónimos é um mosteiro manuelino, testemunho monumental da riqueza dos Descobrimentos portugueses. Situa-se em Belém, Lisboa, à entrada do Rio Tejo. Constitui o ponto mais alto da arquitectura manuelina e o mais notável conjunto monástico do século XVI em Portugal e uma das principais igrejas-salão da Europa.
Destacam-se o seu claustro, completo em 1544, e a porta sul, de complexo desenho geométrico, virada para o rio Tejo. Os elementos decorativos são repletos de símbolos da arte da navegação e de esculturas de plantas e animais exóticos. O monumento é considerado património mundial pela UNESCO, e em 7 de Julho de 2007 foi eleito como uma das sete maravilhas de Portugal.
História
Encomendado pelo rei D. Manuel I, pouco depois de Vasco da Gama ter regressado da sua viagem à Índia, foi financiado em grande parte pelos lucros do comércio de especiarias. Escolhido o local, junto ao rio em Santa Maria de Belém, em 1502 é iniciada a obra com vários arquitectos e construtores, entre eles Diogo Boitaca (plano inicial e parte da execução) e João de Castilho (novo plano,abóbadas das naves e do transepto – esta com uma rede de nervuras em forma de estrela –, pilares, porta sul, claustro, sacristia e fachada) que substitui o primeiro em 1516/17. No reinado de D. João III foi acrescentado o coro alto.
Deriva o nome de ter sido entregue à Ordem de São Jerónimo, nele estabelecida até 1834. Sobreviveu ao sismo de 1755 mas foi danificado pelas tropas invasoras francesas enviadas por Napoleão Bonaparte no início do século XIX.
Inclui, entre outros, os túmulos dos reis D. Manuel I e sua mulher, D. Maria, D. João III e sua mulher D. Catarina, D. Sebastião e D. Henrique e ainda os de Vasco da Gama, de Luís Vaz de Camões, de Alexandre Herculano e de Fernando Pessoa.
Após 1834, com a expulsão das Ordens Religiosas, o templo dos Jerónimos foi destinado a Igreja Paroquial da Freguesia de Santa Maria de Belém.
Numa extensão construída em 1850 está localizado o Museu Nacional de Arqueologia. O Museu de Marinha situa-se na ala oeste.
Integrou, em 1983, a XVII Exposição Europeia de Arte Ciência e Cultura.
[ENG]
The Mosteiro dos Jerónimos is located in the Belém district of Lisbon, Portugal. This magnificent monastery can be considered one of the most prominent monuments in Lisbon and is certainly one of the most successful achievements of the Manueline style (Portuguese late-Gothic). In 1983, it was classified by the UNESCO, with nearby Belém Tower, as a World Heritage Site.
History
The house for the Hieronymite monks was built on the same site of the Ermida do Restelo, a hermitage that was founded by Henry the Navigator at about 1450. It was at this hermitage, that was already in disrepair, that Vasco da Gama and his men spent the night in prayer before departing for India in 1497.
Kneeling statue of King Manuel I – main sponsor of the Monastery – on the Western portal. The figure behind the king is Saint Jerome.
The existing structure was started on the orders of Manuel I (1515–1521) to commemorate Vasco da Gama's successful return from India. It was originally meant as a church for the burial of the House of Aviz, but it also became a house of prayer for seamen leaving or entering port.
Construction of the monastery began in 1502 and took 50 years to complete. He used pedra lioz, a local gold-coloured limestone, for its construction. The building of the monastery was funded by a 5% tax on eastern spices, with the exceptions of pepper, cinnamon, and cloves, revenue from which went straight to the Crown. By this influx of riches, the architects had enough financial margin to think big. The enormous amount of funds needed for this monastery meant abandoning the construction of the Aviz pantheon in the Monastery of Batalha.
The monastery was designed in the Manueline style by Diogo de Boitaca (who was probably one of the originators of this style with the Monastery of Jesus of Setúbal in Setúbal). He built the church, the monastery, the sacristy, and the refectory. He was succeeded by the Spaniard João de Castilho, who took charge of construction in around 1517. Castilho gradually moved from the Manueline style to the Plateresco style, a style with lavish decorations that recall silverware (plata). There were several sculptors who made their mark on this building. Nicolau Chanterene added depth with his Renaissance themes. The construction came to a halt when the king Manuel I died in 1521.
The architect Diogo de Torralva resumed the construction of the monastery in 1550, adding the main chapel, the choir, and completing the two stories of the monastery, using only Renaissance motifs. His work was continued in 1571 by Jérôme de Rouen (also called Jerónimo de Ruão) who added some Classical elements. The construction stopped in 1580 with the union of Spain and Portugal, because the building of the Escorial in Spain was now draining away all the funds.
The monastery withstood the Great Earthquake of 1755 without too much damage. But when the building became vacant in 1833 by the abolition of the religious orders in Portugal, it began to deteriorate to the point of almost collapsing. A cupola was later added to the southwestern tower.
On December 13, 2007, the Treaty of Lisbon was signed at the monastery, laying down the basis for the reform of the European Union.
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