Description of the attraction
The Monastery of Jesus is one of the first buildings in Portugal built in the Manueline style. The monastery is located in the northern part of Setubal and was founded around 1490 by the lady of the court, Justa Rodriguez Pereira.
In 1491, King João II allocated funds for the construction of the monastery and commissioned the construction to the architect Diego de Boitaca. After the death of King João II in 1495, the construction of the monastery was continued with the support of King Manuel I. Most of the church was built between 1490 and 1495, and in 1496 the Clarisci nuns already lived in the monastery. In 1495, the wooden vault of the nave of the church was replaced by a stone one. It is believed that it was King Manuel I who ordered the rebuilding of the apse of the church, although there are still discussions about this. In the main chapel of the church is the crypt of Giusta Rodriguez Pereira, the founder of the monastery, and her family.
In the second half of the 16th century, Georges de Lancaster, the illegitimate son of King João II and master of the spiritual knightly order of Santiago, donated to the monastery the land located on the side of the southern facade of the monastery, which is now known as the Place Jesus. He also erected an elegant cross in honor of Jesus Christ near the apse. In the 19th century, the cross was reinstalled in the center of the square.
Inside, the church is rather narrow and consists of one nave and two side chapels. The walls of the apse are covered with 17th century azulesush tiles with geometric patterns and scenes from the life of the Virgin Mary. In the covered gallery of the monastery there is a museum, where paintings by Portuguese primitivist painters of the 15th-16th centuries are exhibited.
