The station was built on the site of the Benedictine Convent of São Bento da Avé Maria, which had been ordered built by King Manuel I of Portugal in 1518. The building had been a monastery until it was destroyed by fire in 1783 and was later rebuilt for use as a convent. It was in a state of disrepair by 1892 when the last nun died and was demolished that year.
The building took a number of years, starting in 1904, based on plans by architect José Marques da Silva. The large panels of around twenty thousand azulejo tiles (551 square meters) were designed and painted by Jorge Colaço. The murals represent moments in the country's history and the multicolored panels depict rural scenes showing the people of various regions.
There are approximately 20,000 azulejo tiles, dating from 1905–1916, that were composed by Jorge Colaço, an important painter of azulejo. The actual tiles were made in the Sacavém factory. Colaço placed the first tiles on 13 August 1905.
The upper parts of the frieze are lined with polychromatic (multicolored) azulejos depicting a chronology of some forms of transport used by people in various areas of Portugal. The lower and upper frame of the frieze consists of a line of tile in blue, browns and yellow in a stylized geometric pattern. The tiles depict historical events.
On the top of the north wall, for instance, is a large composition that covers the entire wall, depicting the Battle of Valdevez (1140), with two groups of antagonists and other knights in the background. Below it is another composition that represents meeting between the knight Egas Moniz and Alfonso VII of León in Toledo (12th century), offering his life, his wife and his sons following the siege of Guimarães. In the south, is a painting of the entrance to Porto of King John I and Philippa of Lancaster, on horseback, to celebrate their wedding (1387). Below that is the conquest of Ceuta (1415), with the principal figure of Infante D. Henrique, who subjugated the Moors.
The Knights Templar played a significant role in the 12th-century Portuguese efforts toward independence, particularly through their military support and strategic fortifications during the Reconquista. They participated in key military campaigns, including the conquest of Santarém in 1147, which was a pivotal moment in consolidating Portuguese territory. The battle of of Valdevez of Januarey 1, 1140 precedes this conquest by only a few years. Although direct historical proof is lacking, it is possible that the Templars also contributed to battles depicted at this modern railway station.
Source quotes and illustration Wikipedia. The illustration is a depiction of Prince Henry the Navigator in the conquest of Septa, by Jorge Colaço, CC BY-SA 4.0.
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