Santarem

About

Settled since the Iron Age, Santarem was an administrative center for Julius Caesar, a Moorish cultural center, a favored retreat for Christian royalty, and planning location for many of Portugal’s expeditions to the New World. While the city has since lost its political importance, the cobbled streets of the Old Town have reminders of its former greatness. One of the standout monuments is the Church of the Grace, which along with being a wonderful piece of Gothic architecture, displays the tombs of Pedro de Meneses, the first governor of Ceuta, and Pedro Álvares Cabral, the navigator who discovered Brazil. The Museu Diocesano, housed in the 17th century Jesuit College attached to the Cathedral exhibits collection of artwork dating back to the 13th century. Overlooking the city and the Tagus is the Jardim das Portas do Sol - a pleasant garden that had been fortified since the 8th century BC.