Praça da República was once a tournament ground where Templar knights jousted. Today it's the main square of Tomar, centred on a statue of Gualdim Pais, the city's founder, who was knighted at 21 and spent six years crusading in the Holy Land before returning to establish Tomar as the Templars' Portuguese headquarters in 1160.

The square is flanked by the Gothic Church of São João Batista, whose octagonal bell tower is a rarity in Portuguese architecture. Recent restoration of its clock uncovered vibrant original colours nobody knew existed, along with skulls carved into the clock face as a reminder of life's brevity. Opposite stands a former royal palace commissioned by King Manuel I, now the town hall. Every four years, the square becomes the focal point of the Festa dos Tabuleiros.

VoiceMap's self-guided audio tours trace the Templar origins of the city from this square, following Gualdim Pais from the Crusades to the legendary six-day siege of 1190 and the Camino de Santiago route that still passes through Tomar.