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.
Facing the monastery is the square park Jardim da Praca do Império. Next to it is the park Jardim de Belém, with Vasco da Gama Garden, where you find a small Thai temple, imported from Thailand.

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:

Torre de Belém Torre de Belém Torre de Belém 01 Torre de Belém 02 Torre de Belém 03 Torre de Belém 04 Torre de Belém 05 Torre de Belém 06 Torre de Belém 07 Torre de Belém 08 Torre de Belém 09 Torre de Belém 10 Torre de Belém 11 Torre de Belém 14

PADRÃO DOS DESCOBRIMENTOS (Monument of the Discoveries):

Padrão dos Descobrimentos 01 Padrão dos Descobrimentos 02 Padrão dos Descobrimentos 03 Padrão dos Descobrimentos 04 Padrão dos Descobrimentos 05 Padrão dos Descobrimentos 06 Padrão dos Descobrimentos 07 Padrão dos Descobrimentos 08 Padrão dos Descobrimentos 09 Padrão dos Descobrimentos 10 Padrão dos Descobrimentos 11 Padrão dos Descobrimentos 12 Padrão dos Descobrimentos 13 Padrão dos Descobrimentos 14 Padrão dos Descobrimentos 15

MONASTERY OF JERÓNIMOS (Santa Maria Church):

Monastery of Jerónimos 01 Monastery of Jerónimos 02 Monastery of Jerónimos 03 Monastery of Jerónimos 04 Monastery of Jerónimos 05 Monastery of Jerónimos 06Monastery of Jerónimos 09 Monastery of Jerónimos 10 Monastery of Jerónimos 11 Monastery of Jerónimos 12 Monastery of Jerónimos 13 Monastery of Jerónimos 14 Monastery of Jerónimos 15 Monastery of Jerónimos 16 Monastery of Jerónimos 17 Monastery of Jerónimos 18 Monastery of Jerónimos 19 Monastery of Jerónimos 20 Monastery of Jerónimos 21 Monastery of Jerónimos 22 Monastery of Jerónimos 23 Monastery of Jerónimos 24 Monastery of Jerónimos 25 Monastery of Jerónimos 26 Monastery of Jerónimos 27 Monastery of Jerónimos 28 Monastery of Jerónimos 29 Monastery of Jerónimos 30 Monastery of Jerónimos 31 Monastery of Jerónimos 32 Monastery of Jerónimos 33 Monastery of Jerónimos 34 Monastery of Jerónimos 35 Monastery of Jerónimos 36 Monastery of Jerónimos 37 Monastery of Jerónimos 38 Monastery of Jerónimos 39 Monastery of Jerónimos 40 Monastery of Jerónimos 41 Monastery of Jerónimos 42 Monastery of Jerónimos 43 Monastery of Jerónimos 44 Monastery of Jerónimos 45 Monastery of Jerónimos 46 Monastery of Jerónimos 47 Monastery of Jerónimos 48 Monastery of Jerónimos 49 Monastery of Jerónimos 50 Monastery of Jerónimos 51 Monastery of Jerónimos 52 Monastery of Jerónimos 53 Monastery of Jerónimos 54 Monastery of Jerónimos 55 Monastery of Jerónimos 56 Monastery of Jerónimos 57 Monastery of Jerónimos 58 Monastery of Jerónimos 59 Monastery of Jerónimos 60 Monastery of Jerónimos 61 Monastery of Jerónimos 62 Monastery of Jerónimos 63 Monastery of Jerónimos 64 Monastery of Jerónimos 65 Monastery of Jerónimos 66 Monastery of Jerónimos 67 Monastery of Jerónimos 68 Monastery of Jerónimos 69 Monastery of Jerónimos 70 Jardim da Praça do Império 01 Jardim da Praça do Império 02 Jardim da Praça do Império 03 Jardim da Praça do Império 04 Jardim da Praça do Império 05

BELÉM TOWN CENTER:

Palácio de Nacional de Belém 01 Palácio de Nacional de Belém 02 Palácio de Nacional de Belém 03 Rua da Junqueira, Belém town center 01 Rua da Junqueira, Belém town center 02 Rua da Junqueira, Belém town center 03 Rua da Junqueira, Belém town center 04 Rua da Junqueira, Belém town center 05 Rua da Junqueira, Belém town center 06 Rua da Junqueira, Belém town center 07 Rua da Junqueira, Belém town center 08 Rua da Junqueira, Belém town center 09 Rua da Junqueira, Belém town center 10 Rua da Junqueira, Belém town center 11 Jardim Afonso de Albuquerque 01 Jardim Afonso de Albuquerque 02 Belém Station 01 Belém Station 02 Belém Station 03 Belém Station 04 Belém skyline and monastery Padrão dos Descobrimentos Centro Cultural de BelémCentro Cultural de Belém Restaurant Espaço Espelho d'Água Belém 23 Belém 01

BELÉM'S RIVERFRONT AND ITS VIEWS:

Centro Cultural de Belém Belém 06 Belém 07 Belém 08 Belém 09 Belém 10 Belém 11 Belém 12 Belém 13 Belém 14 Belém 15 Belém 16 Belém 17 Belém 18 Belém 19 Belém 20 Belém 21 Belém 22 25th April Bridge  seen from Belém 01 25th April Bridge  seen from Belém 02 25th April Bridge  seen from Belém 03 25th April Bridge  seen from Belém 04 25th April Bridge  seen from Belém 05 25th April Bridge  seen from Belém 06 25th April Bridge  seen from Belém 07 25th April Bridge  seen from Belém 08 25th April Bridge  seen from Belém 09 25th April Bridge  seen from Belém 10 Tagus  River, Southern suburbs from Belém 01 Tagus  River, Southern suburbs from Belém 02 Tagus  River, Southern suburbs from Belém 03 Tagus  River, Southern suburbs from Belém 04 Tagus  River, Southern suburbs from Belém 05 Tagus  River, Southern suburbs from Belém 06 Tagus  River, Southern suburbs from Belém 07 Tagus  River, Southern suburbs from Belém Tagus  River, Southern suburbs from Belém

VIEWS FROM THE PILLAR 7 EXPERIENCE, 25TH OF APRIL BRIDGE:

Belém from Pillar 7 Experience, 25th April Bridge 01 Belém from Pillar 7 Experience, 25th April Bridge 02 Belém from Pillar 7 Experience, 25th April Bridge 03 Palacio Nacional da Ajuda, Ajuda district Belém from Pillar 7 Experience, 25th April Bridge 05 Belém from Pillar 7 Experience, 25th April Bridge 06 Belém from Pillar 7 Experience, 25th April Bridge 07 Belém from Pillar 7 Experience, 25th April Bridge 08