What to see and do in Santarém

Santarém is a city and municipality in central Portugal, a stop on the Portuguese Way and capital of the district it names, with close mobility and trade ties to Lisbon. Among its highlights: the Church of Nossa Senhora da Graça, Gothic, begun in 1380; the Sé de Santarém, the country's youngest cathedral, with its diocesan museum; and the Portas do Sol viewpoint, overlooking the Tagus river.

This town is known as the capital of the Portuguese Gothic style and nowadays, due to its great amount of heritage elements, it is applying to obtain the concession of World Heritage by UNESCO.

The origin and foundation of the city of Santarém mixes myth with history. In the mythology that speaks about the foundation of Santarém, appear the Greco-Roman, Tartessian and Christian myths, which have given rise to numerous toponyms of the environment that are preserved to this day.

Before the Roman domination, there is evidence of occupation by pre-Roman peoples, who maintained relationships with Phoenicians, Greeks and Carthaginians. However, it is during the Roman period when Santarém takes special relevance in the territory, becoming one of the most representative administrative centres of the province of Lusitania.

Later the city was sacked and occupied by Visigoths and then Arabs, being conquered by Christianity during the High Middle Ages.

Church of Nossa Senhora da Graça

It is an archetypal Portuguese Gothic temple. Its construction began in 1380.

Sé de Santarém and Diocesan Museum

The Sé de Santarém is the maximum exponent of the religious architecture of the city. It is a secular building that stands as the youngest Portuguese cathedral in the country. The most characteristic feature of the temple is its façade related to the Jesuit architecture (church of the Gesù) that set the standard during the Baroque style. In an adjoining building you can visit the Diocesan Museum.

Portas do Sol Garden and viewpoint

Small green space in the city that offers good views of the city and the Tagus River.

Torre das Cabaças

Also known as Torre do Relógio, it is a tower built in the mid-fifteenth century in Mannerist style, which is located in the parish of Marvila, municipality of Santarém. It was declared a National Monument in 1928. www.cm-santarem.pt