EXPLANATION OF THE ILLUSTRATIONS

1 – CONVENT OF JERÓNIMOS. – Built in the first quarter of the sixteenth century. The finest specimen of the «Manuelino» style, the national style par excellence, historically connected with the Portuguese Discoveries, it is justly held to be one of the most remarkable religious monuments in the word.

2 – JERÓNIMOS – THE SOUTH FAÇADE OF THE CHURCH – in giving us an idea of the sculptural richness of its famous doorway, impresses us at once with the architectural magnificence of the stately monument.

3 – JERÓNIMOS-THE SOUTH DOORWAY. – A masterpiece, owing to the daring of the design and the exuberance of the figures. João de Castilho and Boytac gave it the airy fineness of some sumptuous religious jewel.

4 – JERÓNIMOS – THE MAIN DOORWAY – remarkable for its general design and the ornaments, which mark the beginning of the Renaissance in Portugal. Its chief creator was Nicolas de Chanterenne, the famous French image-maker.

5 – JERÓNIMOS – INTERIOR OF THE CHURCH. There are three naves, in the c1assical style, but the columns that separate them are so etherealized by their carving that they seem to mingle and one sole vaulting to be above them.

6 – JERÓNIMOS – THE CHOIR, seen from the central nave. – The light of the rosacea, touching gently part of the vaulting, shows us the almost airy lightness of its curve, under the fine lace-work of its ornaments.

7 – JERÓNIMOS – THE TRANSEPT – Its execution, attributed to João de Casinha, is one of the most glorious boldnesses in national architecture. At the end, plunged in semi-darkness, the marvelous Main Chapel.

8 – JERÓNIMOS – THE SUB-CHOIR – In the small vaulting which the Choir rests on all the peculiar ornaments of the Torralva stage (middle of the sixteenth century) and the «Manuelino» tracery can be seen.

9 – JERÓNIMOS – another view of the INTERIOR OF THE CHURCH, taken from under the Choir. It shows the contrast of the Romanesque nudity of the side-wall, with simple doors and imageless niches, with the ornamental profusion of the arches and columns.

10 – JERÓNIMOS – THE VESTRY, admirable in its balance and ornamental sense. The central column, richly girt with Renaissance motifs, spreads out above so as to seem that the whole place is under a gigantic palm-tree.

11 – JERÓNIMOS – TOMB OF VASCO DA GAMA.   Jerónimos being the Pantheon of great national figures, it could not but hold the remains of the great navigator, whose discovery of the seaway to India made possible the building of the Convent.

12 – JERÓNIMOS – TOMB OF CAMÕES. The tomb of the greatest of Portuguese poets is a modern sarcophagus in the« Manuelino» style. It is not artistically remarkable, but the ashes it holds make it valuable to a1l Portuguese.

13 – JERÓNIMOS – DOUBLE DOOR OF THE CHAPTER HOUSE. A jewel in stone and iron, not only in design but also in sculptural execution, in markedly pure Renaissance style.

14 – JERÓNIMOS – an angle of the CLOISTER, held to be one of the finest c1oisters in the word. Every detail of strength, grace and fancy which it shows should be carefu1\y studied.

15 – JERÓNIMOS – TOMB OF ALEXANDRE HERCULANO, built in the Chapter House. It has little artistic merit, but serves to perpetuate the memory of the Portuguese Master-Historian.

16 – JERÓNIMOS – THE CLOISTER, seen from the central walk. A marvel of contrasts – at bottom, strength, regularity and calm; at top all the airy Gothic grace. An exuberance of Renaissance motifs. / 20 /

17 – JERÓNIMOS – ONE OF THE CORRIDORS OF THE CLOISTER shows us with what wonderful art it was executed. The reticulated canopy overarches the solidity of the pilasters, in a perspective both strong and delicate, where the Gothic and the Renaissance styles are wedded.

18 – TOWER OF BELÉM, an architectural jewel of the middle of the sixteenth century. It was built by order of King Manuel I near the Restelo Beach whence the great navigators ser out for discovery. It is a permanent record of the military and naval history of Portugal.

19 – TOWER OF BELÉM – ENTRANCE DOORWAY – with ornaments in Renaissance taste and the royal emblems; it seems the doorway of some undine's palace, ready to let down its drawbridge for the entry of the Olympian gods.

20 – TOWER OF BELÉM. – A detail of the TERRACE, which Francisco de Arruda, the poet-architect of the Tower, gave a religious touch to. The image of the Virgin, looking up at heaven, makes the fortress a temple.

21 – TOWER OF BELÉM. – A charming balcony, of Levantine grace. The delicate tracery of its balustrade looks out over the waters from above its Gothic motifs.

22 – TOWER OF BELÉM. – A dream-balcony, inscribed with Crosses of the order of Christ, the emblem borne by the ships of the Discoverers. A stanza of Camões in stone.

23 – TOWER OF BELÉM. – Part of a crossed vaulting, where again may be seen that mixture of strength and grace which distinguish «Manuelina» art. Both love and heroism seem expressed here.

24 – TOWER OF BELÉM. – A view of the little CLOISTER on the first story, with round and pointed arches, in which the peace of the cloister and the vigils of war are inextricably linked. The summary of a whole age.