THE CONVENT OF CHRIST, THE CASTLE OF TOMAR AND THE FESTIVAL OF THE TRAYS

Being the ancient Templar headquarter, Tomar is a very charming town for its artistic and cultural richness. The greatest exponent is in the Convent of Christ, one of the most important works of the Renaissance in Portugal.

In 1983 UNESCO declared a unique jewel of the Western History as a “ World Heritage” monument: the Templar Castle and the Convent of the Knights of Christ in Tomar. Built on a site that was originally used for Roman worship, this vast monumental complex tells us about seven centuries of Portugal’s history and great moments of the Western History.

Tomar holds the traditional Festival of the Trays (Festa dos Tabuleiros) every four years in the beginning of July.

This festival has its origins in the worship of the Holy Spirit, a great devotion of Queen Saint Isabel, wife of King Dinis, and is deeply rooted throughout the whole national territory but in Tomar it reaches a most symbolic and followed event. In the adornment of the Trays, houses and streets, one can find flowers, bread and wheat spikes that are typical elements of ancient and traditional crop festivals.

In addition to the traditional Parade, the “Procession of the Boys” and the “Mordomo” Parade are also held, being the streets decorated by the locals.

Cem Soldos, a village near from Tomar, holds in mid-August the Bons Sons Festival, which shows the best of Portuguese music, including every musical genre and open to all generations.

The Living Statues Festival takes place in the month of September., no mês de setembro.

The Templar Festival - during four days, Tomar and its locals revive the Middle Ages, moreover, the times of the Templar Knights and the legacy they left us up to the present day.