Lisbon Lisbon ( ; ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 567,131, as of 2023, within its administrative limits and 3,028,000 within the Lisbon Metropolitan Area, metropolis, as of 2025. Lisbon is mainlan ...

Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic, is a country on the Iberian Peninsula in Southwestern Europe. Featuring Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point in continental Europe, Portugal borders Spain to its north and east, with which it share ...

Ajuda Ajuda () is a ''freguesia'' (civil parish) and district of Lisbon, the capital of Portugal. Ajuda is located in western Lisbon, northeast of Belém and west of Alcântara. The population in 2011 was 15,617.Alcântara and directly east of Lisbon's border with Oeiras. Belém is famous as a museum district, as the home of many of the most notable monuments of Lisbon and Portugal alike, such as the

Belém Tower Belém Tower (, ; literally: Bethlehem Tower), officially the Tower of Vincent of Saragossa, Saint Vincent () is a 16th-century fortification located in Lisbon that served as a point of embarkation and disembarkation for Portuguese explorers a ...

, the

Jerónimos Monastery The Jerónimos Monastery or Hieronymites Monastery (, ) is a former monastery of the Hieronymites, Order of Saint Jerome near the Tagus river in the parish of Santa Maria de Belém, Belém, in the Lisbon Municipality, Portugal. It became the nec ...

, the

Padrão dos Descobrimentos A ''padrão'' (literally "standard") (, ''flag, standard''; plural: ) is a stone pillar left by Portuguese maritime explorers in the 15th and 16th centuries to record significant landfalls and thereby establish primacy and possession. They were ...

, and Belém Palace (official residence of the

President of Portugal The president of Portugal, officially the president of the Portuguese Republic (, ), is the head of state and highest office of Portugal. The powers, functions and duties of prior presidential offices, and their relation with the prime minister ...

). The population in 2011 was 16,528.Instituto Nacional de Estatística (INE)
Census 2011 results according to the 2013 administrative division of Portugal

History

Archaeological evidence discovered along the margins of the Tagus indicates that human occupation in the area of Belém dates to the

Paleolithic The Paleolithic or Palaeolithic ( years ago) ( ), also called the Old Stone Age (), is a period in human prehistory that is distinguished by the original development of stone tools, and which represents almost the entire period of human prehist ...

era.

Middle Ages

1515 bis1521 wurde der Turm von Belem erbaut

With the establishment of the

Kingdom of Portugal The Kingdom of Portugal was a Portuguese monarchy, monarchy in the western Iberian Peninsula and the predecessor of the modern Portuguese Republic. Existing to various extents between 1139 and 1910, it was also known as the Kingdom of Portugal a ...

by Afonso III, royal surveys, or ''inquirições gerais'' (general inquiries), were made at his command to inspect titles of lands claimed by the nobility and clergy, determined that the population around Lisbon was dispersed throughout the lowlands, which were suitable for agriculture. Consequently, Belém was connected to the neighbouring city by a bridge at Alcântara. Belém's proximity to the River Tagus also encouraged the development of commercial activities in the small village of Aldeia do Restelo, which attracted mariners and other seafarers seeking safe anchorage and protection from the winds when they entered the river. In the 14th century,

Moors The term Moor is an Endonym and exonym, exonym used in European languages to designate the Muslims, Muslim populations of North Africa (the Maghreb) and the Iberian Peninsula (particularly al-Andalus) during the Middle Ages. Moors are not a s ...

settled on and cultivated the surrounding lands, providing the city with produce; other Moors, both free and enslaved, worked in the fishing industry. Meanwhile, settlement in Restelo grew slowly towards Lisbon. It was "to give religious and spiritual support" to the villagers that

Henry the Navigator Princy Henry of Portugal, Duke of Viseu ( Portuguese: ''Infante Dom Henrique''; 4 March 1394 – 13 November 1460), better known as Prince Henry the Navigator (), was a Portuguese prince and a central figure in the early days of the Portuguese ...

, as governor in the military-religious Order of Christ, initiated construction near the fishing port of a small church dedicated to

Saint Mary Mary was a first-century Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Saint Joseph, Joseph and the mother of Jesus. She is an important figure of Christianity, venerated under titles of Mary, mother of Jesus, various titles such as Perpetual virginity ...

. Henry also ordered the construction of a fountain and water trough in 1460 to provide drinking water for the people and their animals. The foundation of the church and the

Jerónimos Monastery The Jerónimos Monastery or Hieronymites Monastery (, ) is a former monastery of the Hieronymites, Order of Saint Jerome near the Tagus river in the parish of Santa Maria de Belém, Belém, in the Lisbon Municipality, Portugal. It became the nec ...

by Manuel I around 1459 on the site of the older church resulted in its transfer from the Order of Christ to the Hieronymite monks, and at the same time in its being renamed Santa Maria de Belém.Nuno Senos (2003), p.103 The existing structure was started on the orders of Manuel I (1469–1521) at the courts of

Montemor-o-Velho Montemor-o-Velho (), officially the Town of Montemor-o-Velho (), is a town and municipality of the Coimbra District, in Portugal. The population of the municipality in 2011 was 26,171, in an area of 228.96 km². History In 711, the Arab oc ...

in 1495, as a final resting-place for members of the

House of Aviz The House of Aviz (Portuguese language, Portuguese: ''Casa de Avis'' ), also known as the Joanine Dynasty (''Dinastia Joanina''), was a dynasty of Portuguese people, Portuguese origin which flourished during the Portuguese Renaissance, Renaissanc ...

, in his belief that an Iberian dynastic kingdom would rule after his death. In 1496, King Manuel petitioned the

Holy See The Holy See (, ; ), also called the See of Rome, the Petrine See or the Apostolic See, is the central governing body of the Catholic Church and Vatican City. It encompasses the office of the pope as the Bishops in the Catholic Church, bishop ...

for permission to construct a monastery at the entrance of the Tagus. It was after the arrival of

Vasco da Gama Vasco da Gama ( , ; – 24 December 1524), was a Portuguese explorer and nobleman who was the Portuguese discovery of the sea route to India, first European to reach India by sea. Da Gama's first voyage (1497–1499) was the first to link ...

a year later with samples of gold he had discovered that the monastery became a symbol of Portuguese expansionism. The church became a house of prayer for seamen leaving or entering the port.

Brigantine era

With the restoration of Portuguese independence in 1640, the monastery regained much of its former importance, becoming the burial place for the royal pantheon; within its walls four of the eight children of King John IV were entombed: the Infante Teodósio (1634–1653), the Infanta Joana (1636–1653), King Afonso VI (1643–1683) and

Catherine of Braganza Catherine of Braganza (; 25 November 1638 – 31 December 1705) was List of English royal consorts, Queen of England, List of Scottish royal consorts, Scotland and Ireland during her marriage to Charles II of England, King Charles II, which la ...

(1638–1705). On 29 September 1855, the body of King Afonso VI was transported to the royal pantheon of the

House of Braganza The Most Serene House of Braganza (), also known as the Brigantine dynasty (''dinastia Brigantina''), is a dynasty of emperors, kings, princes, and dukes of Portuguese people, Portuguese origin which reigned in Europe and the Americas. The hous ...

in the Monastery of São Vicente de Fora, along with his three brothers and sister. During the reign of Peter II, in 1682, the bodies of King Sebastian and Cardinal Henrique were buried in the transept chapels. The same monarch ordered construction of "a tower of four storeys" (in the words of

Damião de Góis Damião de Góis (; February 2, 1502January 30, 1574), born in Alenquer, Portugal, was an important Portuguese humanist philosopher. He was a friend and student of Erasmus. He was appointed secretary to the Portuguese factory in Antwerp in 152 ...

) on a basaltic outcropping of rocks in the Tagus near its north bank, using some of the stones being collected to build the

Jerónimos Monastery The Jerónimos Monastery or Hieronymites Monastery (, ) is a former monastery of the Hieronymites, Order of Saint Jerome near the Tagus river in the parish of Santa Maria de Belém, Belém, in the Lisbon Municipality, Portugal. It became the nec ...

. This was the foundation of the bastion of the

Belém Tower Belém Tower (, ; literally: Bethlehem Tower), officially the Tower of Vincent of Saragossa, Saint Vincent () is a 16th-century fortification located in Lisbon that served as a point of embarkation and disembarkation for Portuguese explorers a ...

(''Torre de Belém''). After completion of these two construction projects, a number of manors in the surrounding countryside were established by the nobility. As the population continued to slowly grow, the demographics of the suburb changed sufficiently that

Friar A friar is a member of one of the mendicant orders in the Catholic Church. There are also friars outside of the Catholic Church, such as within the Anglican Communion. The term, first used in the 12th or 13th century, distinguishes the mendi ...

Nicolau de Oliveira indicated in 1620 that it was within the city limits. New convents appeared in the area, and between 1551 and 1591 (as noted by Vieira da Silva) the civil parish of

Ajuda Ajuda () is a ''freguesia'' (civil parish) and district of Lisbon, the capital of Portugal. Ajuda is located in western Lisbon, northeast of Belém and west of Alcântara. The population in 2011 was 15,617.John V John V may refer to: * Patriarch John V of Alexandria or John the Merciful (died by 620), Patriarch of Alexandria from 606 to 616 * John V of Constantinople, Patriarch from 669 to 675 * Pope John V (685–686), Pope from 685 to his death in 686 ...

acquired estates and properties in the area to develop defenses for Lisbon. Carvalho da Costa noted in his ''Corografia Portuguesa'' that "...immediately in front of is the locality of Belém, so healthy and appreciable that the naturals and visitors want to live there, and those who for want of comfort can not live

here Here may refer to: Music * ''Here'' (Adrian Belew album), 1994 * ''Here'' (Alicia Keys album), 2016 * ''Here'' (Cal Tjader album), 1979 * ''Here'' (Edward Sharpe album), 2012 * ''Here'' (Idina Menzel album), 2004 * ''Here'' (Merzbow album), ...

are continually competing for that site. In it there are houses, noble estates, nobility, nobles of the first order in the Kingdom; and if the land permitted more palaces or buildings, the city would continue unto that site". In 1770, during the reign of

Joseph I Joseph I or Josef I may refer to: *Joseph I of Constantinople, Ecumenical Patriarch in 1266–1275 and 1282–1283 *Joseph I, Holy Roman Emperor (1678–1711) * Joseph I (Chaldean Patriarch) (reigned 1681–1696) *Joseph I of Portugal (1750–1777) ...

, the ecclesiastical parish of São Pedro de Alcântara, including the territory east of the Alcântra River, was established, thus deannexing it from Ajuda. The barrio of Belém was officially constituted with its own judicial and administrative authority, and included the ecclesiastical parish of Ajuda, part of Alcântra and Santa Isabel, as well as the parishes of Benfica, Belas, Barcarena and Carnaxide. Belém and Ajuda were the areas around Lisbon suffering the least destruction in the great Lisbon earthquake and the following

tsunami A tsunami ( ; from , ) is a series of waves in a water body caused by the displacement of a large volume of water, generally in an ocean or a large lake. Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and underwater explosions (including detonations, ...

on 1 November 1755. Many of the survivors who lost their homes were installed in numerous tents and shacks in the region. King Joseph and his court moved to a complex of tents and barracks located on a part of the royal estates where the Ajuda National Palace would be built. This relocation by the King and his prime minister and Secretary of State, the Marquess of Pombal, attracted commerce and made Belém-Ajuda the centre of the state bureaucracy during the third quarter of the 18th century. A military presence was also deemed important by the government: two regimental infantry barracks under the Count of Lippe, and a cavalry regiment under Mecklenburg were installed. These events consolidated the integration of Belém-Ajuda into the city of Lisbon. During the latter part of the 18th century, the monarchy slowly extricated itself from Belém-Ajuda. In 1794, a fire in Ajuda destroyed the Royal Tent (''Tenda Real''), forcing the royal family to abandon the location and take residence in the

Queluz National Palace The Palace of Queluz (, ) is an 18th-century palace located at Queluz, a city of the Sintra Municipality, in the Lisbon District, on the Portuguese Riviera. One of the last great Rococo buildings to be designed in Europe,Lowndes, p. 179. the pa ...

. A lack of funds had delayed completion of the Ajuda National Palace, so with the French invasion in 1807, the royal family fled to

Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro, or simply Rio, is the capital of the Rio de Janeiro (state), state of Rio de Janeiro. It is the List of cities in Brazil by population, second-most-populous city in Brazil (after São Paulo) and the Largest cities in the America ...

. When they returned to Portugal in 1821, King John VI installed them in the Necessidades and

Bemposta Palace The Bemposta Palace ('), also known as the ''Paço da Rainha'' (''Queen's Palace''), is a neoclassical palace in the area of Bemposta, now the civil parish of Pena, in Lisbon. It was originally built for Queen Dowager Catherine of Braganza on he ...

s. Belém gradually evolved into an industrial zone, particularly around Pedrouços and Bom Sucesso, attracting factories of various kinds such as tanneries, metal stampers, glassmakers, earthenware manufacturers, textile makers, woollenware producers and a rope-making factory for shipping. On 28 December 1833, the civil parish of Santa Maria de Belém, including the parish of Ajuda, was institutionalised with its seat in the Jerónimos Monastery. Rapid industrialization began in this period and continued throughout the 19th century; an 1881 inquiry established that 25 factories produced goods in the Alcântara-Belém region, employing 1,215 men, 812 women and 432 minors. The growth attracted many new residents and subsidised housing was constructed to support the manufacturing industry. Belém subsequently had more autonomy: a separate municipality of Belém actually existed between 11 September 1852 and 18 June 1885, presided over by its first president, the historian

Alexandre Herculano Alexandre Herculano de Carvalho e Araújo (; 28 March 181013 September 1877) was a Portuguese novelist and historian. Early life Herculano's family had humble origins. One of his grandfathers was a foreman stonemason in the royal employ. Hercu ...

. The municipality included the parishes of Nossa Senhora da Ajuda, Santa Maria de Belém, part of São Pedro de Alcântara, Santa Isabel and São Sebastião da Pedreira, as well as Nossa Senhora do Amparo de Benfica, São Lourenço de Carnide and Menino Jesus de Odivelas. The royal family of King Louis of Portugal and Queen

Maria Pia of Savoy Dona Maria Pia (16 October 1847 – 5 July 1911) was by birth an Italian princess of the House of Savoy and by marriage Queen of Portugal as the wife of King Luís I of Portugal. On the day of her baptism, Pope Pius IX, her godfather, gave her ...

began to reside in the Ajuda National Palace.

Republic

Belém was also the location for the development of many urban projects, such as the construction of a landfill, opening of many docks or the opening of a rail link to

Cascais Cascais () is a town and municipality in the Lisbon District of Portugal, located on the Portuguese Riviera, Estoril Coast. The municipality has a total of 214,158 inhabitants in an area of 97.40 km2. Cascais is an important tourism in Port ...

, which initially departed from Pedrouços. Socially, the first recreational and cultural organizations were established, and the area was a place for leisure activities. On transitioning into the 20th century, Belém had grown considerably, with the establishment of electrical services within the area and significantly with the 1940 Portuguese exhibition. The 1940 Expo resulted in the demolition of the older nucleus of Belém, the Praça do Império. and the beginning of a phase of monumental constructions which, along with pre-existing historic architecture (such as the

Jerónimos Monastery The Jerónimos Monastery or Hieronymites Monastery (, ) is a former monastery of the Hieronymites, Order of Saint Jerome near the Tagus river in the parish of Santa Maria de Belém, Belém, in the Lisbon Municipality, Portugal. It became the nec ...

,

Belém Tower Belém Tower (, ; literally: Bethlehem Tower), officially the Tower of Vincent of Saragossa, Saint Vincent () is a 16th-century fortification located in Lisbon that served as a point of embarkation and disembarkation for Portuguese explorers a ...

, and Belém Palace) began to occupy the waterfront. This included the iconic

Padrão dos Descobrimentos A ''padrão'' (literally "standard") (, ''flag, standard''; plural: ) is a stone pillar left by Portuguese maritime explorers in the 15th and 16th centuries to record significant landfalls and thereby establish primacy and possession. They were ...

and the modern Centro Cultural de Belém which helped to promote tourist and cultural exploration of the north margin of the Tagus. Until 2012, the area of Belém had its own historic parish, named ''Santa Maria de Belém''. In 2012, the Administrative Reform of

Lisbon Lisbon ( ; ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 567,131, as of 2023, within its administrative limits and 3,028,000 within the Lisbon Metropolitan Area, metropolis, as of 2025. Lisbon is mainlan ...

resulted in the merging of the latter and the parish of

São Francisco Xavier São Francisco Xavier is a village and an administrative district in the municipality of São José dos Campos, São Paulo State, Brazil Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is ...

, thus creating the new parish of Belém.

Geography

The southwestern limit of the city of Lisbon, Belém is delimited by the

Tagus The Tagus ( ; ; ) is the longest river in the Iberian Peninsula. The river rises in the Montes Universales between Cuenca and Teruel, in mid-eastern Spain, flows , generally westward, and empties into the Atlantic Ocean in Lisbon. Name T ...

estuary to the south, the margins of the Algés river and the IC17-CRIL highway, to the west, until the northern limit of the A5 highway). In addition, the Alcântara river and the former eastern limits of the parish of São Francisco Xavier, until the ''Estrada de Queluz'' (''Road of Queluz'') reaches the A5 highway. It is bordered by the parishes of Alcântara in the east,

Ajuda Ajuda () is a ''freguesia'' (civil parish) and district of Lisbon, the capital of Portugal. Ajuda is located in western Lisbon, northeast of Belém and west of Alcântara. The population in 2011 was 15,617.Benfica in the north; and to the west by the municipality of Oeiras ( Algés). In addition to the historical buildings and avenues, Belém is the location of the ''Jardim do Ultramar'' (), several blocks of green-spaces that includes the gardens of the ''Praça do Império'' (), the ''Jardim Vasco da Gama'' (), '' Afonso de Albuquerque Square'' and ''Jardim Agricola Tropical'' (). These gardens cover a large portion of the waterfront area, encircling the buildings of the ''Rua de Belém'', and backs onto the gardens of the

Palace of Belém A palace is a large residence, often serving as a royal residence or the home for a head of state or another high-ranking dignitary, such as a bishop or archbishop. The word is derived from the Latin name palātium, for Palatine Hill in Rome whi ...

. Also located in Belém is the extreme southwest section of the

Monsanto Forest Park Monsanto Forest Park () is a municipal protected forest in Lisbon, Portugal, the largest green patch in the city, with almost 1000 ha (10 km2). It offers a well diversified tree-covered area to the Portuguese capital. Many species wer ...

.

Architecture

Belém is recognized for its concentration of national monuments and public spaces, including a mixture of historical buildings and modern symbols of Portuguese culture. This juxtaposition of famous icons developed from Belém's important military position along the mouth of the Tagus; its role in the exploration in India and the Far East (the ''Caminho das Índias''); and 17th–18th century construction of royal residences and noble estates in the parish following the destruction stemming from the 1755 earthquake and tsunami. Belém's main street and historical avenue is ''Rua de Belém'', a strip of 160-year-old buildings that have survived several years of change and modernization. This includes the famous pastry shop ''Fábrica de Pasteis de Belém'' known for a specific Portuguese confectionery: '' pastel de Belém'' (pl.: ''pastéis de Belém''), an

egg tart The egg tart (; ) is a kind of custard tart found in Chinese cuisine, derived from the English custard tart and Portuguese pastel de nata. The dish consists of an outer pastry crust filled with egg custard. Egg tarts are often served at di ...

made with flaky pastry. In the heart of Belém is the ''Praça do Império'', an avenue of open-spaces and gardens, with a central fountain, which was laid-out during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. To the west of the gardens lies the '' Centro Cultural de Belém'', built in 1992 during Portugal's term in the revolving role at the helm of the European Union presidency. It is now an arts complex, containing Belém's ''Museu Colecção Berardo''. To the southeast of the gardens is the '' Belém Palace'' (1770), the official residence of the Portuguese President. Five hundred metres to the east of Praça do Império lies Belém's other major square '' Praça Afonso de Albuquerque''. Belém is home to a number of other museums: '' Museu da Electricidade'' (Electricity Museum), '' Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology'', ''Museu do Centro Científico e Cultural de Macau'' (

Macau Macau or Macao is a special administrative regions of China, special administrative region of the People's Republic of China (PRC). With a population of about people and a land area of , it is the most List of countries and dependencies by p ...

Cultural Museum), ''Museu de Arte Popular'' (Folk Art Museum), '' Museu Nacional dos Coches'' (Coach Museum), and ''Museu da Presidência da República'' (Presidential Museum). Aos Combatentes do Ultramar - panoramio

Belenenses Clube de Futebol Os Belenenses (), commonly known as Os Belenenses or simply Belenenses, is a Portuguese sports club best known for its football team. Founded in 1919, it is one of the oldest Portuguese sports clubs. It is based in the 19,856 ...

, a renowned

sports club A sports club or sporting club, sometimes an athletics club or sports society or sports association, is a group of people formed for the purpose of playing sports. Sports clubs range from organisations whose members play together, unpaid, and ...

from Lisbon is based in Belém, commonly known as the "fourth big team", because up until 1982 was one of the four Portuguese teams (the others are Benfica, Sporting and

Porto Porto (), also known in English language, English as Oporto, is the List of cities in Portugal, second largest city in Portugal, after Lisbon. It is the capital of the Porto District and one of the Iberian Peninsula's major urban areas. Porto c ...

) that never were never relegated to the second league. In its history Belenenses won the Portuguese Championship once and the Portuguese Cup for three times.

Civic

*

Belém Tower Belém Tower (, ; literally: Bethlehem Tower), officially the Tower of Vincent of Saragossa, Saint Vincent () is a 16th-century fortification located in Lisbon that served as a point of embarkation and disembarkation for Portuguese explorers a ...

() – constructed on the rocky outcropping/island along the northern margin of the

Tagus River The Tagus ( ; ; ) is the longest river in the Iberian Peninsula. The river rises in the Montes Universales between Cuenca and Teruel, in mid-eastern Spain, flows , generally westward, and empties into the Atlantic Ocean in Lisbon. Name T ...

as part of a defensive system to protect access to the Tagus estuary envisioned by

John II of Portugal John II (; ; 3 May 1455 – 25 October 1495), called the Perfect Prince (), was King of Portugal from 1481 until his death in 1495, and also for a brief time in 1477. He is known for reestablishing the power of the Portuguese monarchy, reinvigo ...

, it is one of Belém's iconic symbols of the parish. Originally, the ''Tower of Saint Vincent'' (), it was elaborated by

Manuel I of Portugal Manuel I (; 31 May 146913 December 1521), known as the Fortunate (), was King of Portugal from 1495 to 1521. A member of the House of Aviz, Manuel was Duke of Beja and Viseu prior to succeeding his cousin, John II of Portugal, as monarch. Manu ...

(1515–1520) to guard the entrance to the port at Belém. It stood on a little island in right side of the

Tagus The Tagus ( ; ; ) is the longest river in the Iberian Peninsula. The river rises in the Montes Universales between Cuenca and Teruel, in mid-eastern Spain, flows , generally westward, and empties into the Atlantic Ocean in Lisbon. Name T ...

, surrounded by water. * Monument to the Discoveries () - located on the edge of the Tagus' northern bank, this 52 metre-high slab of concrete, was erected in 1960 to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the death of

Henry the Navigator Princy Henry of Portugal, Duke of Viseu ( Portuguese: ''Infante Dom Henrique''; 4 March 1394 – 13 November 1460), better known as Prince Henry the Navigator (), was a Portuguese prince and a central figure in the early days of the Portuguese ...

. The monument is sculpted in the form of a ship's

prow The bow () is the forward part of the hull (watercraft), hull of a ship or boat, the point that is usually most forward when the vessel is underway. The aft end of the boat is the stern. Prow may be used as a synonym for bow or it may mean the f ...

, with dozens of figures from Portuguese history following a statue of the

Infante Infante (, ; f. ''infanta''), also anglicised as "infant" or translated as "prince", is the title and rank given in the Iberian kingdoms of Spain (including the predecessor kingdoms of Aragon, Castile, Navarre, and León) and Portugal to the ...

Henry sculpted in bas-relief. Adjacent to the monument is a

calçada Portuguese pavement, known in Portuguese as or simply (or in Brazil), is a traditional-style pavement used for many pedestrian areas in Portugal. It consists of small pieces of stone arranged in a pattern or image, like a mosaic. It can also ...

square in the form of a map, showing the routes of various Portuguese explorers, during the Age of Discovery. * Thai Pavilion () - Located inside Vasco Da Gama Garden, a gift from the Royal Thai Government honoring the 500th anniversary of the establishment of the bilateral relations between Thailand and Portugal. The Pavilion was inaugurated by her Royal Highness the Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn and the Mayor of Lisbon, Mr. Antonio Costa on 21 February 2012. Built in Bangkok, the monument was shipped to Lisbon following the same route of Portuguese navigator-diplomat Duarte Fernandes in 1511. The monument reaffirms the diplomatic relations between Thailand and Portugal; Thailand's oldest alliance with a European nation. The red and golden structure is inspired by the Jeronimos Monastery, but follows Thai traditions such as assembly without the use of any metal, nails, or screws, and a roof covered with motifs resembling a dragon's scales. Being only one of four similar structures found outside Thailand, the Sala Thai is one of the most singular monuments in Lisbon.

Religious

*

Jerónimos Monastery The Jerónimos Monastery or Hieronymites Monastery (, ) is a former monastery of the Hieronymites, Order of Saint Jerome near the Tagus river in the parish of Santa Maria de Belém, Belém, in the Lisbon Municipality, Portugal. It became the nec ...

() – located along the ''Praça do Império'' (Empire Square), across from the ''

Padrão dos Descobrimentos A ''padrão'' (literally "standard") (, ''flag, standard''; plural: ) is a stone pillar left by Portuguese maritime explorers in the 15th and 16th centuries to record significant landfalls and thereby establish primacy and possession. They were ...

'' (Monument to the Discoveries), it was originally built to support pilgrims who travelled in the region by

Henry the Navigator Princy Henry of Portugal, Duke of Viseu ( Portuguese: ''Infante Dom Henrique''; 4 March 1394 – 13 November 1460), better known as Prince Henry the Navigator (), was a Portuguese prince and a central figure in the early days of the Portuguese ...

; expanded and elaborated from 1501 by architects for King

Manuel I of Portugal Manuel I (; 31 May 146913 December 1521), known as the Fortunate (), was King of Portugal from 1495 to 1521. A member of the House of Aviz, Manuel was Duke of Beja and Viseu prior to succeeding his cousin, John II of Portugal, as monarch. Manu ...

to serve as a resting-place for members of the

House of Aviz The House of Aviz (Portuguese language, Portuguese: ''Casa de Avis'' ), also known as the Joanine Dynasty (''Dinastia Joanina''), was a dynasty of Portuguese people, Portuguese origin which flourished during the Portuguese Renaissance, Renaissanc ...

; and as a church for seafearing adventurers who embarked during the Age of Discovery, after

Vasco da Gama Vasco da Gama ( , ; – 24 December 1524), was a Portuguese explorer and nobleman who was the Portuguese discovery of the sea route to India, first European to reach India by sea. Da Gama's first voyage (1497–1499) was the first to link ...

's successful voyage to

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

. Construction was funded by a tax on eastern spices, and over time came to represent Portuguese historical discoveries, becoming over time a national monument and

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...

World Heritage Site World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...

, housing (in addition to the religious art and furniture from its past) artefacts and exhibitions like the '' Museu Nacional de Arqueologia'' (National Archaeological Museum) and the '' Museu da Marinha'' (Maritime Museum) within its walls.

References

;Notes ;Sources * Encyclopædia Britannica Standard Edition CD ROM, 2002. * * *

External links

Blog de Santa Maria de Belém
a blog maintained by the Junta Freguesia de Belém
Um pastel em Belém
a blog maintained by a local user {{DEFAULTSORT:Belem Districts of Lisbon Parishes of Lisbon Former municipalities of Portugal