Belem, Portugal

This morning we are on our way to Belém to see the Belém Tower and the Jeronimos Monastery. Belém is located about 6 miles from Lisbon. You can take the tram or the train but we opted to take Uber. The ride is about 20/25 minutes from the Historic Center in Lisbon.

Our driver dropped us off at the shore of the Tejo River. Beautiful view of suspension bridge of April 25.

This is one of the quay to catch a for River cruises.

From there it is a short walk to the Belém Tower.

A nice restaurant facing the River Tagus.

The Jardim da Torre de Belem. Until the middle of the 20th century this was the site of the Belem Gas Factory. The remodeling of the zone, with planting trees as a symbol of the new lands discovered by the Portuguese navigators, took place at the time of the "Portuguese World Exhibition" in 1940.

Steel replica Fairey III-B 'Santa Cruz' plane that was used by Portuguese pilots Gago Coutinho and Sacadura to cross the South Atlantic between Portugal and Brazil in 1922 to commemorate the centennial of Brazil's independence.

There is a plaque next to the aero plane monument providing information about the flight path for this famous aerial crossing.

This monument was inaugurated in November 1991

In order to get in the tower we had to buy tickets that is located in this garden.

Belém Tower

Belém Tower (Torre de Belém) is an imposing medieval defensive tower on the northern bank of the River Tejo in Lisbon

Built between 1514-1520 during the reign of King Manuel (and the height of the Portuguese Renaissance) by Portuguese architect and sculptor Francisco de Arruda. Belém Tower is sometimes known as The Tower of St Vincent as its construction celebrated the expedition to India of Vasco da Gama, the famous Portuguese explorer. It is considered one of the best examples of the architecture of its time, known as the Manuelino style, but it also includes distinctive Moorish features such as ornately decorated turrets.

The tower’s main purpose was to defend Portuguese caravels from pirate attacks as the ships returned from Portugal’s far-flung colonies, loaded with precious goods and spices.

Now a Unesco World Heritage site since 1983, The tower of Belém is a beautiful mix of sturdy fortifications and intricate details.

In 2007, the Bélem Tower was included in the registry of the 7 wonders of Portugal, and indeed features as one of the top 10 tourist attractions in Portugal.

This is now low tide so the water has retrieved and you can walk to the tower without using the bridge.

At high tide, water will surround the tower.

Although it now sits majestically on the shore where the Tejo river meets the Atlantic Ocean, the tower was actually built atop a man-made island in 1519, when the banks of the river extended as far as the monastery behind it.

It looks like a small fairytale castle rising from the river but it was built in 1515 as a beacon and fortress to guard the entrance of Lisbon's Harbor

Getting in.

Only 150 people are allowed inside at a time. Good thing we went in early and were able to get in easily.

This is the lower lever with Gothic arches houses canons for defense purposes.

Past a series of cannons pointing out the window is a low-ceilinged dungeon, where political prisoners were held.

Dungeon where political prisoners were held.

A canon facing a window to the exterior.

Lisbon Defense system: King John II (1455-1495) conceived a pioneer plan for the defense of the city of Lisbon. He planned the construction of the tower of Cascais and the crossing of fire between the Tower of S. Sebastiao on the south bank, and a barge anchored in the middle of the Tagus river. Between 1514 and 1519 King Manuel I concluded this project by having the Tower of Belem built.

The tower of Belem loses strategic importance and becomes successively a custom post, a telegraph station, a lighthouse and a health station. Major restoration works took place in the 19th (1846) and the 20th centuries

There is a small court in the center

We are on our way to the upper floor.

NEXT.... The tower