Tomar

Tomar is a small town in central Portugal that has an outsized historical footprint. This is where the headquarters of the Knights Templar in Portugal was located (see additional posts). This post looks at the town itself.
When the Romans were here, this was called Sellium. After the expulsion of the Moors in the 12th century, the site was granted to the Templars who became the feudal lords. The town developed, 1st within the walls and later expanded outside the fortress walls. Today the old town is located around the foot of the hill upon which the fortress is built. The newer town is beyond the old town.
The 1st picture is the view from my room. That is the castle and convent on the hill. The 2nd picture is the church of St. Mary of Olival that dates to at least the 12th century, though the current building is a 13th century renovation. Many Templars are buried here.
The 3rd picture clearly demonstrates the importance of the Templars to Tomar. That's a city sidewalk with Templar crosses everywhere. The 4th picture is s city park with a waterwheel designed to lift water, probably originally for irrigation. The 5th picture is a view over the town from the castle. The 6th picture is a formal garden in a park at the foot of the castle hill. The 7th picture is in the best preserved medieval synagogue is Portugal. It dates to the middle of the 15th century. You can see the Torah in the ark.
The 8th picture is the main square, Republic Square. The stature is the 1st grand master of the Portuguese Templars, Gualdim de Pais. The 9th picture is a typical street in the old town.
The 10th picture is part of the Camino de Santiago, the famous pilgrimage path. The Portuguese route passes through the castle and convent.Read more