The Jerónimos Monastery is one of the fundamental architectural works of the Manueline age. The early design took place under Diogo de Boitaca (1502), the architect who started to build the church and the cloister.
The church has a Latin cross longitudinal plant with three naves covered by a unique vault, supported by high eight octagonal columns, a system which enables the creation of a clear, unified and bright place. The actual Mannerist main-chapel as it is known today was built by Jerónimo de Ruão and keeps the listed tombs of King Manuel I, Queen Mary, King John III and Queen Catherine. The royal painter Lourenço de Salzedo made the beautiful main retable. The tombs of King Sebastian and the Cardinal King Henrique lie in the transept and the tombs of Luís de Camões and Vasco da Gama are placed in the first bay of the sub-choir.
