Cloister History

The construction of the Cloisters of the Jeronimos Monastery dates from 1517, and was the responsibility of the architect Jo‹o de Castilho. It was a time when many important works were built. King Manuel I had decided to build his pantheon and marry Princess Leonor, sister of the Spanish Emperor Charles V.

A year later, the ground floor was complete. The upper floor was built during the period from 1545 to 1550, when Diogo de Torralva was responsible.

In 1567, the Cardinal-King Henry ordered an ornamental lake to be built in the cloisters. Later, Philip II ordered the construction of a new entrance and staircase to serve those living above the refectory in the upper floor of the west wing. According to documents this was only completed in 1704.

During the French invasions (1807-1811) the cloisters were used to quarter English troops, so the arches were filled in. This continued during the struggles for political liberalism.

In 1833, the monastery was occupied by the Casa Pia de Lisboa orphanage and the cloister became a dormitory for boys.

Around 1860, the head of the orphanage, EugŽnio de Almeida, decided to improve housing conditions and at the same time restore the historic building. He was guided by stylistic purity, which was popular in those romantic times. The cloister arches were opened up and the lime removed from the interior walls of the galleries.

The lake, built in the mannerist style in the middle of the cloisters, did not fit the manueline style and it was removed. In 1884/1885 the chapter house was completed and the Alexander Herculano mausoleum was built. During this period the arches on the upper floor of the cloisters were decorated in the manueline style.

After centuries in which maintenance had been inadequate, while expensive and necessary work had been delayed, major conservation work of the cloister began in 1940. The occasion was the centenary celebrations of the foundation and independence of Portugal.

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