Arcos, where many of the old arches of a street of arcades are seen built into the walls of present-day houses. These arcades were shops ordered to be built by the same D. Duarte I, just outside the city, that he might rent them to the Jews, who were the chief shopkeepers of that epoch.
From the bridge the Rua de Serpa Pinto leads direct to the Praça of D. Manuel, passing on the way the chief hotel, the Uniao Commercial, whose proprietor, Senhor Araujo, having a keen appreciation of the historic and artistic interests of his town, welcomes with a more than ordinary enthusiasm those travellers who have the discrimination to select Thomar for one of their resting-places. I use the word discrimination advisedly, for even Batalha itself is not a more striking and important expression of the ancient grandeur of Portugal than the Convent of Christ on the hill above the restful, quaint old town and its garden plain. It is not an exaggeration to call it a wonderful Convent, unique in the variety of its beautiful edifices, and as the embodiment of distinct epochs in the nation's history.
Two buildings facing each other at either end of the Praça at the foot of the hill were built by D. Manuel. One is the church of St John the Baptist, with its fine doorway, and a pointed tower which is considered the most beautiful on Portuguese soil. The sculptured pulpit is of refined workmanship, and the pictures of the capella-mor are attributed to Grão Vasco, Every one of them is set in a background of gold and white carved woodwork covering the walls and ceiling, but the dim light makes it difficult to judge of their real value. The other Manueline edifice is the Town Hall, or Paço do Concelho, long and plainly outlined, but possessing a decided Moorish aspect, with the three high arches of its entrance and the vaulted arcades of both stories to the rear.
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