Jerónimos Monastery: Lisbon's Miraculous Maritime Masterpiece 🇵🇹✨

#summervacay The Jerónimos Monastery, often referred to as Jerónimos Cathedral, stands as a profound monument commemorating Portugal's epic discovery of the sea route to India around the Cape of Good Hope. This magnificent structure is a quintessential example of Portuguese Renaissance architecture, beautifully transitioning from Gothic to the unique Manueline style. Manueline Architecture: A Maritime Legacy The Manueline architectural style is distinct for its rich decorative elements that celebrate Portugal's seafaring prowess. You'll find motifs like anchors, sails, compasses, and even marine creatures such as fish and sea turtles intricately carved into the stone, telling tales of discovery and adventure. A Miraculous Survival Construction of this, the largest church in all of Portugal, began in 1502 and took 14 years to complete. Remarkably, this five-century-old edifice withstood the Great Lisbon Earthquake of 1755, Europe's largest recorded earthquake at a devastating magnitude 9. The entire city was laid to waste, and as the quake struck on a Saturday morning when most Catholics were at Mass, casualties in other churches were catastrophic. Yet, the Jerónimos Monastery remained perfectly intact, with its royal occupants unharmed. Since then, the Jerónimos Monastery has been shrouded in a veil of mystery, with many believing it enjoys divine protection. Its miraculous survival solidifies its status as a symbol of resilience and a testament to Portugal's golden age of exploration. #lisbon #portugal #JeronimosMonastery #manuelinearchitecture #greatlisbonearthquake #history #travelportugal #lisbonattractions #worldheritagesite #jerónimosmonastery