The Church of Saint John the Baptist occupies one side of Tomar's main square, the Praça da República, its Manueline doorway and hexagonal pulpit the most exuberant things on an otherwise sober exterior. The church was built in the fifteenth century under the patronage of King Manuel I and is largely Gothic in structure, with the Manueline flourishes typical of the period concentrated at the doorway and pulpit rather than spread across the whole building.
Inside, the nave is hung with a series of paintings attributed to the sixteenth-century Portuguese master Gregório Lopes — large altarpieces depicting scenes from the life of John the Baptist and the Virgin. They are not all equally good, but the best of them are impressive, and they have been better preserved here than in many busier Portuguese churches. The azulejo panels on the lower walls are a later addition, probably eighteenth century, and provide the usual cool blue contrast to the warm stone above.
The church is open most mornings, though hours vary. Worth the twenty minutes it takes to walk around slowly, particularly if you are spending time in the main square.