Old Town

One of many cool things about Tomar is that it was a planned city.

The oldest quarter follows a strict grid system plotted by the Knight Templar in the 12th century.

Even more intriguing is that it follows the shape of a four-armed cross, with each of these arms pointing to one of the city’s convents.

But that’s not the only instance of sacred geometry; the Igreja de São João Batista is at the centre of a perfect circle, lining up several oratories and convents to form the “sacred space” in which Tomar was built.