Belem Lisbon, Portugal

The white worn out façade of Belem Tower is attractive; one can spot it from Discoveries Monument. The walk along the bank of River Tagus towards Belem Tower under the blue skies that day was pleasant.

Belem Tower

History of Belem Tower

Most historical monuments in Belem are from 16th century. Construction of Belem Tower was completed in 1521. Initially it functioned as a fortress to defend the mouth of the River Tagus, to guard the entrance to Lisbon’s harbor. The Belem Tower was the starting point for many of the voyages of discovery. It was located in a small island in the Tagus River.

The tower was built during the reign of King Manuel I. in Manueline architectural style (which combines Moorish, Gothic, and Renaissance elements). It had the typical carved stone maritime motifs like coiled and twisted rope, armillary spheres. For the sailors it was the last sight of their homeland, one can imagine how dear this must be to them!

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Heritage Site

Belem Tower was classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983. It is also included in the registry of the Seven Wonders of Portugal in 2007.

The walkway to the tower was well populated by the tourists and the entrance very crowded. The previous day’s pickpocket incident was still fresh in mind. We decided to skip entering the tower. A rope carved in stone goes all around the tower. Tour of interiors wouldn’t take long compared to time spent in that long queue.

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Discoveries Monument is an unmissable sight! The white sculpted iconic monument is eye catching because of its composition. The whole structure is drama and action packed. A ship ready to depart!

Explorers of Discoveries Monument Lisbon

On board are several prominent adventurers and explorers of 14th and 15th century. The prominent figures are listed in several travel guides but difficult to distinguish who is who. They have been marked name wise in wiki. The names are: King Manuel I carrying an armillary sphere, poet Camões holding verses from The Lusiads, Vasco da Gama, Magellan, Cabral, and several other notable Portuguese explorers, crusaders, monks, cartographers, and cosmographers, following Prince Henry the Navigator at the prow holding a small vessel. The only female is queen Felipa of Lancaster, mother of Henry the navigator, the brain of the discoveries.

Discoveries MonumentDiscoveries_Monument_1_IndraniEach figure seemed to move forward, as if keen to set off and participate in next exploring events. There are 16 figures along the ramp on both sides, 33 in total. Henry the Navigator leading the team.

Time and Dimension

This iconic Discoveries Monument was built of wood initially and was a display piece in Portuguese World Fair of June 1940. But due to several political reasons it was brought down in 1943. The idea again got a second lease of life in 1958 when the Câmara Municipal of Lisbon, promoted the intent to construct a permanent Monument to the Discoveries. By 1960 the construction of Discoveries Monument was completed. It was made of cement and rose-tinted stone. It stands at a height of 52m (171ft.). The statues sculpted from limestone. The architects involved in the project are mentioned in wiki. In 1985 public got access to the top of the structure.

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The Three Views

The 3 views that can interest the tourists are: one the exteriors. It is grand and one tends to stand rooted in his/her place just marveling the sculpted figures. So ‘life’ like! This view is free. If you are done photographing and admiring and have ample time in hand you can visit the museum inside the monument. There is a small fees for this. This museum houses details of history of Lisbon. Finally you can go to the top of this monument for mesmerizing views of River Tagus!

Tickets and Timings

The viewing platform and museum open -Tuesday to Sunday between 10:00-19:00 (summer season) 10:00-18:00 (low season).
Closed on Monday.
The entrance fee is €3.00/€2.00/€8.00 (adult/child/family)
Time to tour: visit lasts between 30-45 minutes.

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