The visit of the Jerónimos Monastery in Lisbon, the Tower of Belém and the Padrão dos Descobrimentos, all located in the Belém district, is an essential stopover.
Belém is a district that gathers countless extraordinary historical attractions and it is from there that Vasco da Gama began his journey in India or that the magnificent monastery of Jerónimos, built to symbolize the golden age of Portuguese discoveries, recognized throughout the world, was established.
Visit the Jerónimos Monastery
Here you will find all the important information you need to visit the Jerónimos Monastery of Lisbon: opening hours, Google Map, how to get there and you can buy your tickets directly from this page.
With the “Lisboa Card”, Lisbon’s transport is free of charge, as is the visit to the monastery. Click on the card below for more information.
Getting to the monastery
- Trains: Belém Station
- Bus: 727, 28, 729, 714 and 751
- Tramways: 15
- Boats: Belém River Station
- Parking: large public parking located in front of the monument
- Address: Praca do Imperio, Lisbon 1400-206, Portugal
- Accessibility: accessibility for people with reduced mobility in the church and lower cloister
- Tactile path for the blind
Monastery schedules
- From October to April from 10am to 5pm
- From May to September from 10am to 6pm
- Sundays and public holidays: from October to April from 2pm to 5pm and from May to September from 2pm to 6pm
- Closed: January 1st, Easter Sunday, May 1st, June 13th, December 24th and 25th
- The ticket purchase deadline: in winter until 4:45 pm and in summer at 5:45 pm
Tickets for the monastery
- Queue-cutting tickets (So as not to queue) at 10€ per adult and 5€ per child: buy your tickets here
- Tickets for the Jerónimos Monastery and the Tour de Bélem with a French audioguide (24€ per adult and 5€ per child): buy your tickets here
The Jerónimos Monastery in Lisbon
The Mosteiro dos Jerónimos in Lisbon is the greatest architectural example of the Manueline style. The name, derived from D. Manuel I, could not have a better symbol than this monastery. In addition to symbolizing the apogee of this unique style, it was also built on the orders of the Portuguese king himself, creating an eternal link between the Portuguese royal house and the building.
Manuel I was the one who was responsible for the global maritime expansion that began in the 15th century. Portugal was one of the most developed and wealthiest countries of the time because of its discoveries all over the world that would forever transform history.
In order to perpetuate his fame and all the glory of his reign, the monarch decided to build a church and a monastery as symbols. The chosen location was located at the entrance to Lisbon on the banks of the Tagus River. From there, the boats set off to discover the New World and the new roads. The exact place is where the church of Santa Maria de Belém used to be, which was very popular with sailors before going on a trip to the sea.
A complex was built around the church and given to the Order of Jerónimos, who lived here until the 19th century, when the ecclesiastical orders died out. Since then, the monastery has been occupied by a charitable association that takes in orphans and homeless people, the Royal Casa Pia de Lisboa.
The construction of the church and monastery lasted a century and was financed by the spice trade between Portugal, Africa and the East.
In the 1980s, the Jerónimos Monastery was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and became one of the top unmissable visits in Lisbon and around the world.
The visit of the Jerónimos Monastery
The visit to the Jerónimos monastery is very complete, allowing you to get to know a large part of the monument with few restricted areas.
The church of Santa Maria de Belém is magnificent. It has a completely white vaulted ceiling, with many columns extending all along. It is possible to visit it both through the main door and through its mezzanine, from where you can admire the church with a little height.
The church, which is the central point of the visit, is one of the most important churches in Europe. At its entrance, two of the greatest Portuguese personalities are buried there: Vasco da Gama and Camões.
The immense and beautiful inner courtyards are among the areas of the monastery that can be visited, from where you can see its long decorated balconies.
The entrance to the Jerónimos Monastery is through the Place de l’Empire. If you stay in Belém, just walk. The attraction is located in a very busy area and near the centre of the parish.