Archive for June, 2011

Modern City of Tomar: Rua Coronel Garcês Teixeira

The City of Tomar isn’t just an historical place or a garden town. It is also a city that grows and builds new blocks of apartments and tries to keep up with the modern times. So during my wanderings around Tomar I shot a few pictures of the street Rua Coronel Garcês Teixeira and its relatively modern apartments. The man who gave his name to this street, was an army colonel, an archeologist and an experienced epigraphist who studied ancient inscriptions in the monuments of Tomar.

Rua Coronel Garcês Teixeira in the city of Tomar in Portugal

Photo shot at the street Rua Coronel Garcês Teixeira in Tomar, Portugal. Notice the beautiful gardens in front of these modern blocks of apartments

 

Rua Coronel Garcês Teixeiram a street in the city of Tomar in Portugal

Colonel Garcês Teixeira was a military officer in the Portuguese army, an archeologist and a reputed epigraphist, who gave his name to this street

 

Rua Coronel Garcês Teixeira and modern apartments in the City of Tomar

Another view of the street Rua Coronel Garcês Teixeira in the City of Tomar in Portugal. From this perspective, when this street ends, the avenue Alameda Primeiro de Março begins

Sports Pavilion of the Town Council of Tomar at Mouchão Park

Almost everyday, during my time spent in Tomar in 2010, I used to walk past the Sports Pavilion of the Town Council of Tomar, located near the soccer field and the camping park at Mouchão Park. I remember that the old pavilion was built in a way that invited people to go inside and watch sporting activities going on there. To be honest thought the entrance of this new building is more imposing, I didn’t feel that same sense of welcome. So I just took photos of the stairs and entrance hall which by the way was quite nice and modern. You also have nice views to Mouchão Park as you can see in the photos below.

Sport Pavilion hall and stairs in the City of Tomar in Portugal

My wife walking up the stairs of the Sports Pavilion of Tomar. There is a modern feeling in this new pavilion which provides a space for sporting activities and social events in Tomar

 

Sports Pavilion of the Town Council in the City of Tomar, Portugal

Inside the main hall of the Sports Pavilion of the Town Council of Tomar, you have nice views to Mouchão Park. On the left is the soccer field and in the distance is the Camping Park of Tomar

 

Window at the Sports Pavilion of the City of Tomar in Portugal

From the hall of this sports pavillion in Tomar you can see the grass of the soccer field located at Mouchão Park.

A green area between two bridges in the City of Tomar

I suspect that many people living in Tomar have not yet discovered all the beautiful spots of this town. This area is probably one of them. It is located between two bridges. The Old Bridge of Tomar which you can see in these three photos and the so called New Bridge which, from the position I shot these pictures, was more or less behind me. This is a perfect location in Tomar for you to spend a few relaxing moments without anyone around. I was there with my wife and son, and only saw a solitary angler trying his luck in the waters of Nabão River.

Green area near the old bridge in the city of Tomar

Beautiful green and somewhat isoolated area in the City of Tomar in Portugal. In the distance and between trees you can see the Old Bridge of Tomar

 

Green area near Nabão River and Old Bridge in Tomar, Portugal

Between the palm trees you can view the Old Bridge in Tomar, as well as the calm waters of Nabão River. This is a perfect place for you and your family to relax

 

Green area with palm trees in the banks of Nabão River, near the Old Bridge in Tomar

A different perspective of the same green area in the City of Tomar on the banks of Nabão River. Part of the Old Bridge of Tomar leading to an intersection of three main streets can be seen at some distance

Pensão Residencial União, an Inn at Corredoura in Tomar

After coming back to Australia from my visit last year to Portugal, bringing with me thousands of photos from Tomar, I decided to divide my work into topics. Since I had shot some of the places where travellers can lodge while in Tomar, I created this category called Hotels and Inns. So here is the União Inn, known in Portuguese as Pensão Residencial União, located at Rua Serpa Pinto (Corredoura) in the City of Tomar. What impressed me the most in this Inn was the two artistic tile panels at the entrance, as you can see in the first photo, shot at night.

Pensão Residêncial União in the city of Tomar in Portugal

Photo of the entrance to the Inn Pensão Residêncial União. Notice the two beautiful tile panels. On the left is a panel of the Chapter Window and on the right is a panel of a weir at Nabão River

 

Pensão Residêncial União at Rua Serpa Pinto, Tomar, Portugal

Photo shot in a rainy day at Rua Serpa Pinto (Corredoura) in Tomar. As you can see União Inn (Pensão Residêncial União) in on the right side of the street

 

Flags at Pensão Residêncial União in Tomar, Portugal

Another view of Pensão Residêncial União in Tomar. One of the flags has the colours of the local soccer club, called União de Tomar, which at one time was playing first division football with the likes of Porto, Benfica and Sporting

Human statues in Tomar of famous and beautiful women of the past

This is a sequel of the Festival of Human Statues that took place in the summer of 2010 in Tomar. This time I am focusing on human statues of famous, beautiful and traditional women of the past. The first photo portrayed by a street artist, represents a traditional washerwoman from past centuries who used to do their laundry at Nabão River. The second photo is of the “statue” of Inês Pereira who is a fictional character of the play Farsa de Inês de Pereira (Farce of Inês Pereira), written by the Portuguese playwright Gil vicente and first shown in 1523 at the Convent of Christ in Tomar. One of the spectators was the Portuguese King D. João III. The third photo portrays the statue of Angela Tamagnini, an illustrious portuguese lady of italian descent who lived in the 18th century in the City of Tomar.

Human statue of a washerwoman from the past of Tomar, Portugal

Photo of a Human Statue of a traditional washerwomen who in past centuries used to do their laundry at Nabão River in the City of Tomar

 

Human Statue of Inês Pereira in the City of Tomar in Portugal

This is a the human statue of Inês Pereira, a fictional character of a play written by Gil Vicente, first presented to the public in 1523 at the Convent of Christ in Tomar

 

Human Statue of Angela Tamagnini in the City of Tomar in Portugal

This is a human statue mimicking a bronze sculpture of Angela Tamagnini, a famous lady from the 18th century, who negotiated peace terms with the french army when they invaded Portugal and were in Tomar

Some of my preferred domestic pets in Tomar

This isn’t specifically about the City of Tomar, given that you can find dogs and puppies all over the world but since I love these wonderful pets, and they live in my home town, I decided to include them in this site. The first photo is from Rita, a female dog that belongs to my mother. She is a wonderful pet and companion, smart and friendly and my 87 years old mum couldn’t live without her. The second photo is from another female dog. In this photo she is at Praça da República (Republic Square) in Tomar at a coffee shop with her owners. The third photo shot at Lameiras Farm, still in the region of Tomar but near the town of Ferreira do Zêzere, is from a puppy whose owner is my brother in law Manuel Moura.

Rita is a female dog that belongs to my mother

This is Rita at home, a beautiful and friendly female dog that belongs to my 87 years old mother who lives in Tomar

 

Female dog at Republic Square in the City of Tomar

I found this female dog at Praça da Républica (Republic Square) in Tomar. She was with her owners at a coffee shop

 

Puppy that belongs to my brother in law, at Lameiras Farm, Tomar

This is a puppy that belongs to my brother in law Manuel Moura. This photo was shot at Lameiras Farm in Tomar

Different situations at Rua Serpa Pinto in Tomar

Though these photos were shot at Courredoura (Rua Serpa Pinto) in Tomar and you may have already seen a few pictures of this same street, in this case they show us different situations. The first photo was shot near Cafe Paraiso which is one of the oldest coffee shops in Tomar. The second photo was taken during some cultural events in Tomar and it’s a stall belonging to a lady selling roasted chestnuts, which is very popular in Portugal. Finally the third photo, shot during the Festival of Human Statues, represents a photographer from the early 20th Century and it was a tribute to the photographer of the old City of Tomar called Silva Magalhães.

Corredoura in the City of Tomar, near Café Paraíso

Photo of Corredoura (Rua Serpa Pinto) shot near Café Paraíso. This coffee shop in the City of Tomar was open half a century ago

 

Roasted Chestnut stall at Rua Serpa Pinto in Tomar, Portugal

Rua Serpa Into (Corredoura) in Tomar near the old bridge that leads to Rua Marquês de Pombal. Nearby is a stall that belongs to a lady selling roasted chestnuts

 

Photographer of the early 20th Century in the City of Tomar in Portugal

This photo is from people dealing with a camera from the early 20th Century. This was a tribute the the famous photographer of Tomar called Silva Magalhães

The Round Church at the Convent of Christ in Tomar at close range

In previous photos the Round Church in Tomar or Charola as it is widely known, appeared at a certain distance. I took those photos from the garden outside the Convent of Christ but I also wanted to show this magnificent monument at a close range. So in the first and second photos you can see the staircase that leads to the entrance of the Charola, and on the third it is still the Round Church but from another angle and already inside one of the cloisters, which as you may know, is a courtyard inside a convent or monastery.

Charola or Round Church at the Convent of Christ in the City of Tomar

This is the Round Church or Charola in the City of tomar in Portugal, photographed from a close range. This church is thought to be similar to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem

 

Convent of Christ and the Charola in Tomar, Portugal

Close up of the Round Church (Charola) built in Tomar by the Knights Templar in the 12th century. You can see the staircase the leads to the main door of the church

 

Charola or Round Church at Christ's Convent in the City of Tomar in Portugal

Charola shot from inside one of the cloisters in the Convent of Christ in Tomar, Portugal

Coat of Arms of Portugal at a bridge in Tomar

The current version of the Coat of Arms of Portugal seems to have been adopted in 1911 after the Republican Revolution of 1910, and it is the result of almost a thousand years of alterations and modifications. Anyway these photos of the Portuguese Coat of Arms is located on a bridge crossing Nabão River in Tomar, Portugal, from the parishes of Santa Maria dos Olivais to São João Baptista, at Avenida Norton de Matos. I am not sure about this but it looks like this bridge may have been built in 1967 by the Ministry of Public Constructions, which is in charge of an organization called Junta Autónoma de Estradas (Autonomous Committee of Roads).

Coat of Arms of Portugal at Avenida Norton de Matos in the City of Tomar

Coat of Arms of Portugal on a bridge crossing Nabão River in Tomar, at an avenue called Avenida Norton de Matos

 

Coat of Arms of Portugal at a bridge in the City of Tomar

The Portuguese Coat of Arms was built on a wall near the bridge, apparently made of bronze. On top of the symbol of Portugal you can read Ministry of Public Constructions and below it's written Autonomous Committee of Roads 1967

 

Close up of the Coat of Arms of Portugal in the City of Tomar

Close up of Coat of Arms of Portugal based on an heraldic design officially adopted in 1911, after the Portuguese Republican Revolution of 1910

The Convent of São Francisco at Varzea Grande in Tomar

The Convent of San Francisco (Convento de São Francisco) in Tomar, was founded in 1624 by Franciscan monks from a religious order located in a nearby village called Santa Cita. The construction of the convent and church started in 1628 and with additions along the way, like the tower on the right side of its facade, it was actually completed in 1660. So this convent and church located at Avenida General Bernardino Faria of my home town, has been a catholic religious presence in the City of Tomar for almost 400 years.

Convent of São Francisco in the City of Tomar in Portugal

The convent of São Francisco in Tomar and its catholic church. This is a place of worship built in the 17th Century by Franciscan monks

 

The Church of São Francisco in the City of Tomar in Portugal

The convent of São Francisco and its church was built in an area called Varzea Grande in the City of Tomar, starting in 1628 and completed in 1660

 

Convent of San Francisco at Varzea Grande in the City of Tomar

The Convent of San Francisco in Tomar seen from a different perspective. This convent and church currently belongs to the Third Order of São Francisco