Polytechnic of Tomar - Departament of Territory, Archaeology and Heritage


Qualified in areas as Human Sciences and Communication to Engineering and Information Technologies, the Polytechnic of Tomar (IPT) exists for 25 years.
IPT offers a wide range of study programmes, seeking to constantly adjust their contents to entrepreneurial needs.
The Polytechnic is located in two campuses: the Tomar Campus, housing the School of Technology of Tomar and the Management School of Tomar and the Abrantes Campus, housing the School of Technology of Abrantes, all supported by staff and by effective facilities and services. In particular, it is the Departament of Territory, Archaeology and Heritage, belonging to the School of Technology of Tomar, which hosts the 14th APDR Congress. http://portal.ipt.pt/portal/portal/international.


City of Tomar


Located in the Nabão river banks, the city of Tomar belongs to the district of Santarém, in the Province of Ribatejo, with 351 km2 area and 43.000 inhabitants. It was conquered to the Moors by D. Afonso Henriques in the year 1147, being then donated by this monarch to the Templars in 1159. D. Gualdim Pais granted its "Foral" in 1162.

With the extinction of the Order of the Temple in 1312, by decision of the Pope John XXII, which wanted to banned Templars out of Europe, the Military Order of Christ was founded. Due to the necessity of defending the Algarve border, the Headquarters of this Order moved up to Castro Marim; 37 years later, it stablished again in Tomar, precisely in it's Castle.
This way, Tomar started being the centre originator and mainly financial supporter of Discoveries epic. Infant D. Henrique, appointed by the Pope has Conductor of the Order of Crist, would come to install himself at the Castle of Tomar. Tomar was declared city in 1844, being visited by the Queen D. Maria II the year after.

Tomar is today not only recognized by it fabulous monuments, from which stand out the Convent of Christ, but also for it touristic potential, promoted by the visit to the many historical buildings, Archaeological relics, walks by it fresh and luxuriant gardens and over Nabão river.

Some of the main monuments of Tomar:
  • Convent of Crist (with the "charola", the famous gothic window)
  • Templars Castel
  • Pegões Aqueduct
  • Synagogue (XV Century)

Other buildings:

  • Convent of Saint Iria
  • Chapel of San Lourenço
  • Church of S. João Baptista
  • Church N. Senhora da Conceição
  • Church N. Senhora dos Olivais
  • Convent of San Francisco
  • Mills D'El Rei
  • "Florida" Street
  • D. Gualdim Pais Statue
  • Sun Watches
  • Dam of "Castelo de Bode"

Regarding the food, local sweets explore the variations based on eggs and almond with more or less sugar.
The sweet best known in the city is Tomar "Fatias". White or red, the wines of Tomar have a good reputation in Portugal



Festival of "Tabuleiros"


The Festival of Tabuleiros ou Feast of the Divine Holy Spirit is one of the oldest Portuguese religious and cultural celebrations. According to researchers, its origin is in the feast of the harvest in honour to goddess Ceres.
This celebration of «Thanksgiving» and of offers maintained its characteristics unchanged until the seventeenth century. Some of the amendments that were emerging justify itself in order to give greater grandeur to this festival.
The tradition continues and many of its ceremonies as Bulls Parade of arrival of the Holy Spirit who is named Parade of Tabuleiros, his blessing, the way the board, the dresses of girls carrying the Tabuleiros and Pêza or distribution of bread and meat remain in place (for some years to this part also distributes the wine).

The main feature of the festival is the Parade of Tabuleiros or Procession, with a variable number of plates, which are represented in the sixteen parishes of the county. This procession of dignity, colour, brightness and emotion through the main streets of the city, a journey of about 5 km, by between bedspreads pending in the windows, thousands of visitors in the streets and a rain of petals that is so enthusiastic launched on the Parade.

The festival of Tabuleiros is essentially a celebration of colour and movement. One of its most well known characteristics is the ornamentation of the streets in the so-called historic centre of the city where the barrio spirit is still very alive. This festival, which takes place in July, every 4 years, also includes the Partial Parades and Popular Games.
The last was held in 2007. www.tabuleiros.org