Spice – Haiku 2024 #ThursdayDoors

Posted bySuzette BenjaminPosted inPoetryTags:, ,
**Featured Door** South Portal of the Monastery Jerónimos and Church, Belem Lisbon, Portugal. Image credit: miralex | iStockphoto

anchors in the storm

portals built on spice altars

offer safe ground

***

Officially designated as one of Portugal’s Seven Wonders of the World, the Monastery of the Hieronymites and Tower of Belém, located in Lisbon, Portugal, was constructed over the one-hundred-year period beginning on 6 January 1501.

The Monastery of the Hieronymites‘ primary mission was to offer a haven and sanctuary for seafarers from diverse corners of the globe, whose ships dropped anchor at Lisbon’s sheltered harbor at the confluence of the Tagus River and the Atlantic Ocean.

***Featured Door (closeup below), South Portal, Monastery Jerónimos and Church, Belem, Lisbon

South Portal, Jeronimos Monastery and Church, Belem, Lisbon, Portugal. Image Credit: tupungato | iStock

Although not the main entrance, the South Portal receives considerable attention because of its high profile as the prime example of Portuguese Baroque (Manueline) architecture.

The South Portal’s elaborate altarpiece-styled facade stands 32 meters (344 ft) high and spans 12 meters (129 ft) in width (two stories.)

The tympanum above the double wooden doors are intricately carved scenes depicting episodes from the life of Saint Jerome, along with the figure of the Madonna of Santa Maria de Belém, accompanied by the archangel Michael.

Trivia #1: Portugal’s renowned delicacy, the custard tart (Pastel de Nata), traces its origins to the Monastery of the Hieronymites.

Crafted by the monks for their seafaring guests, these tarts comprise flour, butter, sugar, and egg yolks. P.S.: The leftover egg whites were not wasted; reportedly, the monks used them for starching their garments!

Trivia #2 The Monastery of Hieronymites’ considerable construction costs were financed in part from a portion (5%) of the tax imposed on the pepper, cinnamon, and clove–laden merchant vessels arriving in Lisbon in the 16th century.

Extra Fun Fact: The Monastery of the Hieronymites, its associated Church, and the iconic Belem Tower receive an annual influx of 1.5 million recorded visitors (Wider-angle photographs are provided below for context.)

Visitors lining-up along a part of the building’s 300 meter-long (984 ft) facade at the Monastery of the Hieronymites, Belém, Lisbon Portugal. Image credit: © Nataliia Shcherbyna | Dreamstime
Monastery of the Hieronymites and Church, Belem Lisbon Portugal. Image credit: © Kushnirov Avraham | Dreamstime

**


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Published by Suzette Benjamin

Positive thinker, inspirational, writer, faith

66 thoughts on “Spice – Haiku 2024 #ThursdayDoors”

  5. Pingback: Spice – Haiku 2024 #ThursdayDoors | Ned Hamson's Second Line View of the News

  6. What a magnificent building or joined buildings, Suzette. The history fascinates me. The notion of working on a building for a hundred years is hard to grasp. Meanwhile, I’m complaining about a 2-year construction project to repair a bridge I use several times each week. I guess I wouldn’t have made it in the 16th century 😉

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I agree Dan, the winters are long here and road work is squished into a few short months in Summer/fall which results in road travel on bridges and roadways a chore…at best. I could not imagine a hundred years of construction. Those builders and artisans, back then had incredible patience for sure. After all there was no Home Depot to get their supplies. Their accomplishments on these grand structures are even more impressive in light of what they endured to construct them.

      Liked by 1 person

    1. You are right. There is an opulence here that seems uncommon to what one expects of a monastery. There is a seamless integration of the church into the building as well.
      And, back then, those seagoing ships had lots of crew on board, and so they needed a huge place to accommodate and house them until their ships set sail.

      Liked by 1 person

  8. Fear for personal safety and the lack of proper support systems can influence the seafarers decision to leave the merchant navy.

    🌊The Monastery of the Hieronymites‘ primary mission was to offer a haven and sanctuary for seafarers from diverse corners of the globe, whose ships dropped anchor at Lisbon’s sheltered harbor at the confluence of the Tagus River and the Atlantic Ocean.🌊

    Thinking about cathedrals and the reason for their doors, this is once again an amazing story recounting the vision and mission behind these majestic buildings.

    Beautiful haiku addressing majestic sanctuary

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Absolutely right! Sea travel and employment was a tough business fraught with much danger.
      I agree that it was a wise and forward-thinking idea to build a place of sanctuary and support for the ship’s crews.
      The fusion of the church into the monastery/sanctuary is a marvelous demonstration of the kindness of strangers helping those in need.
      Blessings to your day. May your day be a sanctuary of the heart.

      Liked by 2 people

      1. Wise and Forward-thinking indeed.
        Building sanctuaries or even wells the way Abraham and Isaac did in the days of old wherever they went so as to provide water for animal and humans illustrates this forward thinking. In this way towns and cities sprung up all over the place
        Oh my word yes the fusion of these two concepts as a port for both spiritual and physical support is demonstrative of the church’s role in kindness and support of workers and business at the time and served as the foundation for building great towns and cities attracting visitors to their magnificent religious structures.

        Thank you Poet, pray blessings on your day too.
        Sanctuary of the heart is a lovely and sacred blessing. Thank you.

        Liked by 1 person

      2. Yes well said. From the days of the ancient fathers onward those guideposts, taverns, inn, hospitals (hotels) and monasteries have always helped the travelers.

        Thank you for your blessings, I receive them with much joy. Cheers.

        Liked by 1 person

      3. It’s quite eye-opening, because it actually scriptural to provide these havens or halfway homes for the working and business traveler. Very interesting ventures.

        Given with joy Poet.
        You are most welcome
        Cheers.

        Liked by 1 person

  9. Really a wonder, Suzette! Monastery and church together, and so magnificently built. History and trivia are quite interesting. And your haiku, as usual, captures the essence of the building. Well done, my friend!

    Liked by 1 person

  11. How beautiful Suzette! Those portals do indeed look like “anchors in the storm” — steadfast, promising “safe ground” — Brilliant haiku.

    Like

  12. Wow! What a beautiful structure and lovely haiku too ~ thanks

    Wishing you good health, laughter and love in your days ~
    A ShutterBug Explores,
    aka (A Creative Harbor)

    Liked by 1 person

  18. Amazing building. So, I have a funny story. We were looking at what to do in Belem, Brazil. When I searched Belem, pictures of this church and other architecture came up. I was so excited. It took a while to realize that they were all in Belem, Portugal not Brazil. The city in Brazil has a few nice buildings, but mostly it’s a rough city. Not at all like the one in Portugal. Since then I’ve wanted to visit Belem, Portugal 😊

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Oh what an amazing story, Maggie!!. Very interesting in fact. Perhaps, and I am just saying…perhaps it was not a mistake and you were meant to research Belem Portugal for a visit, at some point, eh?
      Thank you for your kind support! Safe travels!

      Liked by 1 person

    1. Yes, there is so much attention to detail in the sculptures…truly a marvel. I can see why this building is one of Portugal’s Wonders of the World…truly appropriate. Glad you enjoyed the share Keith. Thank you.

      Like

  22. Another insightful journey. I enjoyed how your Haiku related to some of the background and history of this port city. I am amazed by the lengthy facade as well as the many intricate carvings.

    Liked by 1 person

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