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Saturday, January 10, 2026
Praça do Império, 1400‑206 Lisboa, Portugal
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acoustics

Jerónimos Acoustics: Cloister and Choir

A quick primer on Jerónimos’ acoustics—reverberation, hush, and the role of stone and space.

1/8/2026
10 min read
Cloister patio with arcades and open sky

Sound at Jerónimos balances hush and resonance—stone filters, geometry guides.


📐 Basics

  • Porous stone softens highs.
  • Volume and arcs shape reverb.

$$ T = 0.161, rac{V}{A}quad ext{(Sabine reverberation time)} $$

Cloister—sound-friendly geometry


Listen Like This

  1. In the cloister, speak a single word; notice how it settles.
  2. Under vaults, hum softly; feel sustain and decay.
  3. Compare corners vs. center—edges sound drier.

The cloister is a quiet instrument—sound curls and settles.

[^sabine]: Sabine time is a first-order estimate.

About the Author

Architecture Writer

Architecture Writer

As a Lisbon lover and slow‑travel writer, I put this guide together to help you read the monastery’s stone — from voyages and prayers to poetry and the quiet glow of Belém.

Tags

Acoustics
Cloister
Reverberation
Choir
Sound

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