The Discoveries Monument is the most famous monument in Lisbon. Built on the north bank of the Tagus River, the monument was built to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the death of Prince Henry the Navigator. Depicting many of the great maritime captains to have sailed from the port of Lisbon, the monument was cast in concrete in the shape of a three-sailed ship, with King Manuel I, Vasco da Gama, Magellan and many other notable Portuguese explorers and luminaries on board. The monument sits in the Belem district of Lisbon near the Jeronimos Monastery.
Discoveries Monument
Avenida de Brasilia
Belem
Lisbon
+35-21-303-1950
lisbonexperience.pt
Built in 1515 to guard the entrance to Lisbon's harbor, the Belém Tower is a monument to the city's history as a world power during the Age of Discovery. The tower is built in the Manueline style, named for King Manuel I, with stonework depicting imagery popular during the age, such as exotic animals and historical figures. Now a World Heritage Site, the tower is an impressive and enduring monument to the city and culture that helped create the modern world.
Belém Tower
Avenida da India
Belem
Lisbon
+35-21-362-0034
mosteirojeronimos.pt
Jerónimos Monastery is an expression of Portugal's wealth and power during the Age of Discovery. Built in 1502 during the reign of King Manuel I, the monastery is famous for being the resting place of Vasco da Gama, as well as the place he offered prayers on the night before he set sail to India. The stone carving that decorates the columns and walls of the monastery is an imaginative mix of saintly figures and sea monsters, coils of rope and other maritime motifs. It remains the best example of Portuguese artistic expression in the country and is a "must visit" when in Lisbon.
Jerónimos Monastery
Praça do Império
Belem
Lisbon
+35-21-362-0034
mosteirojeronimos.pt
