Tomar has already hosted a few postcrossing meetings and I have some postcards signed by my postcrossing friends. The first postcard was sent in April of last year by Rui and also signed by Zé, Paula, Edite and Vitória.
My last time in Tomar was in October 2017 but in August 2010 I had already been there with Susana and that was when I first visited the Convent of Christ and sent the 2nd postcard.
The 3rd postcard, despite being from Tomar, was sent and signed in Setúbal by Luzia during another of her meetings in Portugal.
Fotografia: Oswaldo Santos
Built by the Knights Templar in 1160 along a volatile Muslim-Christian border, the Convento da Ordem de Cristo (Convent of the Order of Christ) in Tomar, Portugal, is a fantastically unique monastic fortress. Construction continued for nearly five centuries, turning the Templar stronghold into a gallery of Portuguese architectural styles.
In 1983, the Convent of Christ was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List on the basis that it "represents a significant artistic achievement" - especially for its Manueline decoration - and because it is "directly and tangibly associated with events or with ideas or beliefs of outstanding universal significance" - it came to symbolize the opening of Portugal to other civilizations.
Guia Turístico do Norte
Perhaps the finest example of Manueline stonework at the Convent of Christ is the west window, referred to as the Window of the Chapter House (Janela do Capítulo). It is so richly sculpted that it can be overwhelming to the eye at first, but a closer look reveals a wealth of meaningful and carefully-planned details, all illustrating Portugal's great status as a sea power. Among the sculptures are ropes, knots, full sails, mariners with the tools of their craft, and various seascapes. A human figure in the bottom of the window probably represents the designer, Diogo de Arruda. - in: http://www.sacred-destinations.com/portugal
No comments:
Post a Comment