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Published: September 10th 2016
31 August 2016, Wednesday
A wonderful day to sleep in.
August 31 Wednesday. Exploring Tomar--synagogue and Knights Templar
If one is a romantic and grows up, as a child, in a little ranching town in eastern Oregon, you are prone to dreams of far-away, exotic places. Tomar is the answer with its knights and castle.
However, hopefully the first picture up will be that of 'Our Lady of Fatima.' I reread the last blog and realized we had not even put in a picture of her!
But first we have breakfast and meet a gentleman from Washington state who is traveling with his wife and 91 year old mother-in-law. Pretty soon the mother-in-law comes in, all ready to walk. They had planned to have a walking vacation but, since the Camino is not well marked and with few services, they have turned it into a walk-history adventure. Now the wife comes in and the chatter increases. Dorothea, mother-in-law, is telling how she is enjoying the trip and how she has such a wonderful son-in-law. I chuckle as I can hear in my mind my own mother saying the same thing about Harlan!
But before the
Sao Joao Baptista Manueline style
Republic plaza cathedral octagonal bell tower
A standard Knights Templar designKnights Templar comes the search for the Jewish synagogue. A very rare example of a medieval Jewish temple and of pre- Renaissance Portuguese art, the Tomar Synagogue is the only one of its kind from its period to have been fully preserved in Portugal. It was built in the mid-15th century specifically for religious purposes, evidence of the financial resources of the resident Jewish community and its power and prosperity. This period all came to an end in 1497 when all Jews and Muslims were expelled from the Iberian peninsula. Prior to this date, for about 500 years, the Catholics, Jews and Muslims had co-existed. They each had crafts and skills that contributed to a strong society. When teaching history, my first love, you attempt to enthrall the students with 'big ideas.' What was the result of this drastic act of expulsion, followed by the Inquisition, that still haunts us today? Forget all the dates, learn a few important ones, and then fill in the blanks with the results of those events related to the dates. Well, well, always the teacher!! Our kids used to say we were the only family that had an unabridged dictionary next to the kitchen
table?
Back to the synagogue. The simple, Eastern-influenced architecture of the building, (which has an almost square ground plan, groined vaults supported by four columns, capitals decorated with geometric and plant motifs and twelve corbels jutting out from the walls), is filled with symbolic references. The corbels represent the Twelve Tribes of Israel and the columns the four Matriarchs of Israel – Sarah, the wife of Abraham, her niece Rebecca, the wife of Isaac, and Leah and Rachael, sisters and the daughters of Laban.There are two orifices in each of the upper corners where the mouths of clay jars can be found, fitted face downwards inside the walls, which were used to enhance the temple acoustics. One is partially visible to make its purpose clearer.
In addition to its original function, the Synagogue also served as a school, assembly and court for the Jewish community in Tomar. It was closed in 1496, at the time of the Decree issued by King Manuel I expelling the Jews, after which it was turned into a prison. In the 19th century it served as a hayloft, granary, warehouse, wine cellars and store. In 1921, following a visit (1920) by members of
Night view of castle
Church tower in foreground Association of Portuguese Archeologists, it was classified as a National Monument.
In 1923, Samuel Schwarz, a Jewish mining engineer from Poland who had come to Portugal six years earlier, bought the synagogue and restored it from the state of neglect into which it had fallen. He donated it to the Portuguese state (in 1939) to house the Museu Luso-Hebraico de Abraão Zacuto (Abraham Zacuto Luso- Jewish Museum). Zacuto was the astronomer who made the navigational equipment for Vasco da Gama's discovery of the Americas.
One thing I found so interesting was the donation, from Jews all over the world, of items for the synagogue-museum. Shofars, the Torah, and other religious items from so many places. In this little room one can feel the diaspora of this faith.
We now turn our attention to the hill where the Knights Templar Castle, Convent of Christ and the exquisite Charola is to be found. They make up a World Heritage Site.
Knights Templar were crusader knights. Many of their chapels' architecture were based on the octagonal shape of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. Their roots were directly connected to the Temple where the original Knights were based and from
which grew their phenomenal power base and esoteric traditions. Becoming too powerful, the king of France outlawed the order and the pope suppressed them. The order fled to Portugal where they were given sanctuary and re-branded--an early example of effective marketing. In exchange for guarding the "frontier" they were able to keep their extensive holdings, including the Tomar headquarters. Harlan and I spend about four hours climbing around the buildings. There is a special exhibit on "medieval dispensaries." If any of you saw the Ellis Peter's PBS mystery series, Cadfael, in which the main character solves crimes by using his knowledge of medieval medicine and specimens from his herb garden, you will understand the interest in the exhibit. This exhibit covered the changing practices of medical dispensaries over many centuries.
Pictures will finish telling the story, However, we must mention the Charola. It is a chapel that has a double octagonal design. The altar is quite high and many think it was designed for the knights to take mass on horseback. Alcoves are decorated with monumental paintings and murals. The interior has many mysterious and occult symbols.
Many of Portugal's explorers were Grand Masters of the order, including
Prince Henry, 'the Navigator.' He was the Grand Master for 43 years. From this headquarter the financing and planning of 'discovery expeditions' took place.
We return to eat at Restaurante O Tabuleiro - another delicious meal.
It is a very active night on the walkway below. It is a very voyeuristic experience. You hear all kinds of conversations and altercations going on - behind your closed shutters. At one point all is quiet except for a couple; I think he was at one end of the long pedestrian street and she at the far end. She is screeching and he is bellowing about what I do not know! Somehow I do not believe it was their love for each other that was professed!
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