We began our day with another giant breakfast at the Pousada de Viseu. We then drove south to Coimbra, home of Portugal's oldest university, established in 1537 upon orders of the King. We explored the University square with it's historic buildings. We walked back down through the city, seeing the Se' Nova (New Cathedral), along with two other cathedrals.
We stopped for pastries then drove to Tomar.
Tomar is home to the Convento de Christo, with its original church built in the 12th century by the Knights Templar. The Knights Templar were abolished in the 1400's, but the Convento continued to prosper for several hundred more years, with various additions. There are seven multistory cloisters, a 16 sided chapel, an aquaduct, azulejos... Luck was with us today, as a music festival was going on, with choirs singing throughout our visit. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and you can read more at http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/265. We've traveled a fair amount and Papa says I never pass a church without going in. The Convento de Christo was unusual in many ways, including the sanctuary was built for the Knights Templar to worship in a circle on horseback.
