Tomar

First, the Order of the Temple and then the order of Christ had their head office in Tomar for centuries. The Convent of Christ stands out from the important heritage of these Military Orders. It was built in 1160, classified as a World Heritage site by UNESCO.

The oldest reference to the Jewish community of Tomar dates back to 1315. Organised in community with its own structure since the end of the 14th century, it saw a sharp increase with Henry the Navigator (1394-1460).

This major figure from the royal family, one of the characters in Portuguese history more closely linked to the Maritime Discoveries, moved the Jewish quarter and the construction of the Synagogue forward. As a result of this relation of protection and proximity to trade with the possessions in Africa, at the end of the 15th century, the Jewish population of Tomar grew to be around half of the city's population.

Since the establishment of the Inquisition, in 1536, Tomar was one of the cities most troubled by the inquisitors, having suffered great losses in trade and culture because of this persecution.

Today, Tomar plays a key role in the rediscovery of the Sephardic heritage, due to the Tomar Synagogue - Abraão Zacuto Luso-Hebraic Museum.