| Belém tips and photos posted by real travelers and Lisbon locals. • 512 Photos
• 297 Reviews
See all Lisbon Things To Do |
 | Lisbon Belém Reviews | 1 - 10 of 297 |  |
 Padrão dos
Descobrimentos-Monument to
Discoveries by breughel, 1 more photos
This about 50 m high monument celebrates, as said by its name, the Portuguese who took part in some way to the age of discoveries. It was built in 1960 for the commemoration of the 500th anniversary of the death of Henry the Navigator and is located in the quite agreeable Belém surroundings of the gardens between the monastery and the river. The monument is typical of some romantic idealisation of the Portuguese history under Salazar.
The head figure holding a ship in hands is Prince Henri the Navigator.
I had always much admiration and sympathy for Infante Dom Henrique who was the initiator and promoter of many discoveries but never navigated by himself.
It is thought that Henry started the Portuguese school of cartography.
Behind him are represented 30 personalities of which best known are the great navigators and discoverers: Vasco da Gama who discovered the sea route to India, Bartholomeu Dias who proved that Africa could be circumnavigated when he reached the Cape of Good Hope and Ferdinand Magellan first to circumnavigate the globe passing from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean by the Strait he discovered immediately south of mainland Chile.
There was an irreverencious joke about this monument: "don't push in the queue!"
|
 | |  |
Visiting Lisbon?
Read reviews about Lisbon Hotels
Real Reviews from Real VirtualTourist Members.
The symbol of Lisbon, but at 6 km from the centre, is the most photographed monument of the city.
This imposing tower and bastion defending the entrance to the Tagus and combining firepower with the St Sebastian tower on the other bank of the river was constructed between 1515 and 1521 by military architect Francisco de Arruda. The tower was built on a basalt island but is now nearly swallowed up by the river bank.
The tower shows two parts, the bastion with the canons, and the five-story tower.
What surprises for this military construction is the large amount of decoration.
There are some Moorish decorative elements but the typical Manueline motifs like the armillary sphere (a spherical astrolabe) the cross of the Order of Christ (of which king Manuel I was a member), twisted ropes, and other features typical of the Manueline style, also found on the nearby Monastery of the Jerónimos, dominate.
Famous among these decorations is a rhinoceros, the first stone statue of the animal in Europe.
Because of all these decorations, arched windows and balconies, the Tower of Belem has been compared to the bow of a caravel.
We did not visit the inside, we read that the visit was not so interesting.
|
| | |
 "Padrão dos Descobrimentos" as
seen from the "CCB" by rsilva
There are many things to see there and, if you have the time, do spend at least a day exploring them all.
From the famous "Torre de Belém" to the Monastery, not forgetting the "Pasteis de Belém". Don't forget the "Centro Cultural" (CCB) or the "Padrão dos Descobrimentos".
It is very close to the center and very easily accessible by either train, tram, bus or car. There is usually plenty of parking spots.
I will be adding a page on Belem very soon. Leave a Comment
|
 Torre de Belem photographed
from Cristo-Rei by haiamisaLeave a Comment Directions: Tram 15# from the center to Belem
|
| | |
 by ncfg
It was build by King Dom Manuel I, in memory of Vasco da Gama's successful voyage to India.
This amazing and huge monument took over 70 years to complete.
I only visited the church and the entrance is free but to enter the cloisters is charged 4 euros. Leave a Comment
|
Visiting Lisbon?
Read reviews about Lisbon Hotels
Real Reviews from Real VirtualTourist Members.
 by ncfg
It was inaugurated in 1960 during celebrations of the 500 year anniversary of the death of the Infant D. Henrique (Henry the Navigator).
It is open Tues-Sun 9am-5pm or 6:30pm in July and August and you have to pay 2 euros ( in 2004) to go up and enjoy the beautiful view over Belem. Leave a Comment
|
 by ncfg
It is an UNESCO World Heritage site.
The time was small, so I didn’t went inside. Next time !
You can go to the top peer into the tiny dungeon.
The timetable is :Tuesday-Sunday 10am-5pm or 6.30pm in summer Leave a Comment
|
Jeronimos is a wonderful monastery, build in the 16th century, to celebrate the discoveries and to be the king Manuel I’s burial monument. It took all the century to build, and houses the tombs of the king and his sons. It is one of the best examples of Manueline architecture (the other "super" examples are %L[http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/9eab8/474ad/
]Batalha and %L[http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/9eab8/44219/
]Tomar, with the famous window), a Portuguese style in transition between gothic and renaissance, making use of nautical decorations, and that took the king’s name. The church and mainly the cloisters are splendorous.
In the main corps you can also see the tombs of Vasco da Gama and Camões, transferred there about 50 years ago. Leave a Comment
|
If you have, at least, one day in Lisbon, Belem is one of the things you shouldn't miss. You may build your own program, from a couple of hours till one or more days.
Supposing that you will have only half day, then you can only have a glimpse of the ensemble of the Praça do Imperio, visit the Tower and Jeronimos. The area is still keeping the look won in 1940, when the political regime tried to make an impressive exhibition to hide the colonial nature of our possessions in Africa and Asia, spreading the idea of a multiracial, multicultural, and universal country. The gardens and some buildings were kept. For instance, the Popular Art Museum (Museu de Arte Popular) and the restaurant in the artificial lake (Espelho de Agua) were part of the exhibition. But the real gems of Belem come from history, with Jeronimos and the Tower on top. Leave a Comment
|
Its construction was commissioned by king Manuel I to commemorate Vasco da Gama’s voyage; to give thanks to the Virgin Mary for its success and to create a royal pantheon for the Aviz-Beja-Dinasty. The monastery was built on the site of a hermitage founded by Henry the Navigator around 1450. They begun to build it in 1502 and it took nearly the entire 16th century to complete it. It was designed in the Manueline style by Diogo de Boitaca and the works were carried on by some other architects.
The church of the monastery is also the resting place of Vasco Da Gama, Manuel I, his wife Maria and Luis De Camoes.
This monastery has a huge big carved portal and a large double storey cloister. Leave a Comment
|
|
More Lisbon Travel Deals Lisbon Hotels
Book direct in 50 charming hotels. Up to 50% discount. No prepayment. 150 Hotels in Lisbon
Book your hotel in Lisbon online. Save up to 75% on your reservation! 80 Lisbon Accommodations
Find Lisbon Accommodation on a map. Book now. Pay when you check out! Sponsored Links
- Vila Gale Opera Hotel Lisbon
Travessa do Conde da Ponte, Lisbon - Pensao Monumental
RUA DA GLORIA 21 1250 114 LISBON PORTUGAL, Lisbon - Hotel Turim Lisbon
Rua Filipe Folque 20, Lisbon - Holiday Inn Lisbon
Avenida Antonio Jose de Almeida 28A, Lisbon - Praia Norte
Av. Monsenhor Manuel Bastos, Lisbon - Internacional
Rua da Betesga 3 Baixa, Lisbon - Casa Beato Nuno
271 Avenue Beato Nuno, Lisbon - Hotel Principe Lisboa
Avenida Duque de Avila 201 (formerly Comfort Hotel Principe), Lisbon - Hotel Residencial Florescente
Rua Portas de Santo Antão, 99, Lisbon - Pousada da Juventude de Lisboa
Rua Andrade Corvo 46 Saldanha, Lisbon - Hotel Portugal
Rua Joao das Regras 4, Lisbon - Hotel Olissipo Castelo
Rua Costa do Castelo 112 - 126, Lisbon - Residencial Delta
Rua Ilha do Pico, 3, Lisbon - NH Campo Grande Hotel
Campo Grande 7 (former Quality Hotel), Lisbon - Grande Do Luso
Rua Dr Cid de Oliveira 86, Lisbon
|
