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The Cloister of the Cemetery was this the first of the cloisters of the Convent to be built and its realization dates back to Infante D. Henrique, its governor and perpetual administrator, by appointment in 1420. The need for new conventual features led the Infante to intervene on the side north of Charola. This cloister was intended to serve as a cemetery for the religious and knights of the Order, who were previously buried in the hermitage of Santa Catarina, to the left of the entrance to Porta do Sol in the castle or in the terreiro of the Manueline church. The grand masters previously buried in the Church of Santa Maria dos Olivais, would also be buried here. In this cloister, archesolios were opened for the tombs of D.Diogo da Gama (1523), Baltazar de Faria (1584) and Pedro Alvares Seco de Freitas (1599). The project is by Fernão Gonçalves, whose signature in Gothic script was engraved on the base of one of his columns. It was remodeled in the early 17th century (Filipino reign). The side wall is covered with blue and white tiles of orientalizing design. The adjacent spaces of this cloister (Sacristia Velha, Sacristia Filipina, Capocar dos Portocarreiros) are added between the reigns of King Manuel I and Philip II of Spain.
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