The 19th and 20th century interventions on the dormitory wing of the Jerónimos monastery in Lisbon: an account with a focus on the constructive aspects

Abstract

The dormitory wing of the Jerónimos Monastery, that nowadays houses the National Museum of Archeology, is a monument with a very complex history of interventions. This paper presents the result of an extensive historical survey based on the study of written documents, drawings and photographs. The profusion of photographs that document the restoration and extensions give a special angle to the survey because it allows the understanding of constructive aspects that normally remain uncertain without the use of invasive methods. The main structural systems of the original building and more recent extensions are presented, explained and compared. A critical analysis of the construction works carried out, which relies on these constructive aspects, is then presented and completes already formulated critiques of the conceptual aspects of these interventions.