Ever since I started truly dedicating my time to travelling, I can say there's nothing more thrilling and rewarding than immersing yourself in another country. Especially when you have a great company to do that with. This is exactly what @dontcare89 and myself did these past 7 days. We haven't seen each other in close to 12 years so our mini getaway to Lisbon was bound to be unforgettable.
There were plenty of exciting places we visited during those 7 days but the one that really captivated us both was Jerónimos monastery. This majestic historical monument is one of the most visited in Lisbon, and you will soon find out exactly why that is.
We arrived pretty early on, got our tickets from the kiosk across the street then headed over to join the line. It took about an hour and a half to enter but let me tell you - it was worth the wait.
The construction of the Jerónimos Monastery started in the early 1500s by the orders of King Manuel I and was completed about a century later. At the entrance of the monastery, you could see the statues of King Manuel I and his wife Queen Maria of Aragón.
We were already enchanted by the details on the outside of the building but as we kept moving forward, it kept getting more beautiful and mesmerizing. What we appreciated the most was the fact that people were let in the monastery in groups so as to not overcrowd it. This was great as it allowed us to fully explore the place without rushing.
What's interesting is that this specific style of architecture, called Manueline (but also known as Portuguese late Gothic style), emerged around the time the monastery was built - during the Age of Discoveries and the Portuguese Renaissance. Its details are inspired by the voyages of Vasco da Gama and Pedro Álvares Cabral.
Jerónimos Monastery is also the resting place for many individuals some of which are Vasco da Gama, King Manuel I and his family, as well as Alexandre Herculano de Carvalho e Araújo - a famous Portuguese historian and novelist.
And even though I mentioned the word "gothic" up above, Jerónimos Monastery was far from it. Maybe it was the wonderful sunny weather, or even the fact that there were not that many people inside but it felt inviting, peaceful and serene. The best place to start the last day of our trip and bid farewell to charming Lisbon 😊
All photos used in this post belong to me.