Belém-Torre de Belém, Monastery of Jerónimos, Padrão dos Descobrimentos, MAAT, Palácio de Nacional de Belém, Ponte de 25 de Abril, Paróquia de Santa Maria de Belém, Jardim Praca Afonso de Albuquerque, Jardim Praca do Impéria, Rua da Junqueira, Belém town center, Palacio Nacional de Ajuda
Belém, that means Bethlehem, is a former suburb, now a district, to the West of the city center. It can be reached by Westbound trains. It is a wealthy district with many old, colourful buildings, hills and some famous sights. It has a long riverfront along Tagus River, facing the 25th of April Bridge and the Southern suburbs, and beaches. Belém has about 17 000 inhabitants. At least one whole day during any Lisbon trip, is required to explore Belém. The town center is centered around Rua de Junqueira and is filled with colourful, picturesque, old buildings. We also passed a small police station with several police cars. Torre de Belém is one of Lisbon's mostt famous landmarks. It is a historical former customs tower and defense tower that is situated in the water on the banks of River Tagus. It was built 1514-1519, designed by Francisco de Arruda, ,and is one of the finest examples of Portugese Manueline style, with Moorish details. It consists of a bastion and a 30m high tower, that can be visited. The official name is Torre de São Vicente. Since 1983 it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the Seven Wonders of Portugal. It is often mentioned as a symbol for both Portugal and the Age of Discoveries. Mosteiro dos Jerónimos (Jerónimos Monastery, also Hieronymites Monastery) is a huge former monastery in late gothic Manueline style, situated near the riverfront and town center of Belém. Part of the monastery is a beautiful church, Paróquia de Santa Maria de Belém, where you find the tomb of Vasco da Gama and the poet Camões, and the museum of natural history. The monastery was secularised in 1833 and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The construction was completed in the 17th century, the building withstood the 1755 earthquek with only minor damage. The inner courtyard is very beautiful, with Manueline details. Both the monastery and the church is open to public. Padrão dos Descobrimentos (Monument of the Discoveries) is a 52m high monument from 1958 on the bank of Tagus River with an observation deck and sculptures of historical seamen, with Henry the Navigator in the front. This modern classicist monument celebrates the Age of Discovery (15th-16th century). It overlooks a huge compass rose and a mappamundi (medieval map of the world). The monument was a gift from the Union of South Africa. Espaço Espelho d'Água is a white, beautiful modern lowrise restaurant building in the middle of a pond, right next to the monument. Palácio Nacional de Belém, a pink palace built in the 18th century in mannerist style, that serves as the residence for the president of Portugal. It was used as the residence for royalties in the past. The palace consist of several buildings and gardens. It faces the park/square Praça Afonso de Albuquerque, where you find the Albuquerque Monument, a column with a statue. Palácio Nacional da Ajuda is another palace that housed the Royal family, a white imposing building in the Ajuda district that borders Belém to the North. MAAT - Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology is a futuristic modern art museum, that opened in 2016, facing River Tagus. The modern building has sweeping, curvy lines, that harmonizes with the nearby 25th of April Bridge. It was designed by the British architect Amanda Levete. There is also a large old wing, in the former thermoelectric power plant, Tejo Powerstation, a huge red brick building with four chimneys on top. It is now the Electricity Museum. During our visit there was a cool exhibition about robots in the old powerstation wing. In the new wing there was an exhibition about municipal waste and architectural photography, not by far as interesting as the building itself. Click here to visit these museums. Centro Cultural de Belém (Belém Cultural Center) is the largest building of cultural facilities in Portugal. It is situated near the monuments and facing Tagus River and the monastery. This huge modern building, inspired by Egyptian architecture, also serves as a concert hall and convention center. It was built 1989-1992 and designed by Vittorio Gregotti and Manuel Salgado. The building consists of boxy structures with courtyards and scullptures.
TORRE DE BELÉM: PADRÃO DOS DESCOBRIMENTOS (Monument of the Discoveries): MONASTERY OF JERÓNIMOS (Santa Maria Church): BELÉM TOWN CENTER: BELÉM'S RIVERFRONT AND ITS VIEWS: VIEWS FROM THE PILLAR 7 EXPERIENCE, 25TH OF APRIL BRIDGE: |