freguesia ''Freguesia'' (), usually translated as "parish" or "civil parish", is the third-level administrative subdivision of Portugal, as defined by the 1976 Constitution. It is also the designation for local government jurisdictions in the former Port ...

Lisbon Lisbon (; pt, Lisboa ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 544,851 within its administrative limits in an area of 100.05 km2. Grande Lisboa, Lisbon's urban area extends beyond the city's administr ...

Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos 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.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 ( pt, Torre de Belém, links=no, ), officially the Tower of Vincent of Saragossa, Saint Vincent ( pt, Torre de São Vicente, links=no) is a 16th-century fortification located in Lisbon that served as a point of embarkation and dis ...

, the

Jerónimos Monastery The Jerónimos Monastery or Hieronymites Monastery ( pt, Mosteiro dos Jerónimos, ) is a former monastery of the Order of Saint Jerome near the Tagus river in the parish of Belém, in the Lisbon Municipality, Portugal. It became the necropolis o ...

, the

Padrão dos Descobrimentos ''Padrão dos Descobrimentos'' (; lit. ''Monument of the'' ''Discoveries'') is a monument on the northern bank of the Tagus river estuary, in the civil parish of Santa Maria de Belém, Lisbon. Located along the river where ships departed to explor ...

, and

Belém Palace The Belém Palace ( pt, Palácio de Belém), formally the National Palace of Belém, ( pt, Palácio Nacional de Belém), is the current official residence of the President of the Portuguese Republic, the head of state of Portugal. Located in the ...

(official residence of the

President of Portugal The president of Portugal, officially the president of the Portuguese Republic ( pt, Presidente da República Portuguesa, ), is the head of state and highest office of Portugal. The powers, functions and duties of prior presidential offices, an ...

). 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 (), also called the Old Stone Age (from Greek: παλαιός ''palaios'', "old" and λίθος ''lithos'', "stone"), is a period in human prehistory that is distinguished by the original development of stone too ...

era.

Middle Ages

With the establishment of the

Kingdom of Portugal The Kingdom of Portugal ( la, Regnum Portugalliae, pt, Reino de Portugal) was a 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 kno ...

by

Afonso III Afonso III (; rare English alternatives: ''Alphonzo'' or ''Alphonse''), or ''Affonso'' (Archaic Portuguese), ''Alfonso'' or ''Alphonso'' (Portuguese-Galician) or ''Alphonsus'' (Latin), the Boulonnais ( Port. ''o Bolonhês''), King of Portugal ( ...

, 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, derived from the ancient Mauri, is an exonym first used by Christian Europeans to designate the Muslim inhabitants of the Maghreb, the Iberian Peninsula, Sicily and Malta during the Middle Ages. Moors are not a distinct or ...

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 ''Dom'' Henrique of Portugal, Duke of Viseu (4 March 1394 – 13 November 1460), better known as Prince Henry the Navigator ( pt, Infante Dom Henrique, o Navegador), was a central figure in the early days of the Portuguese Empire and in the 15t ...

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

Saint Mary Mary; arc, ܡܪܝܡ, translit=Mariam; ar, مريم, translit=Maryam; grc, Μαρία, translit=María; la, Maria; cop, Ⲙⲁⲣⲓⲁ, translit=Maria was a first-century Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Joseph and the mother of ...

. 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 ( pt, Mosteiro dos Jerónimos, ) is a former monastery of the Order of Saint Jerome near the Tagus river in the parish of Belém, in the Lisbon Municipality, Portugal. It became the necropolis o ...

by

Manuel I Manuel I may refer to: *Manuel I Komnenos, Byzantine emperor (1143–1180) *Manuel I of Trebizond, Emperor of Trebizond (1228–1263) *Manuel I of Portugal Manuel I (; 31 May 146913 December 1521), known as the Fortunate ( pt, O Venturoso), was ...

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 Manuel I may refer to: *Manuel I Komnenos, Byzantine emperor (1143–1180) *Manuel I of Trebizond, Emperor of Trebizond (1228–1263) *Manuel I of Portugal Manuel I (; 31 May 146913 December 1521), known as the Fortunate ( pt, O Venturoso), was ...

(1469–1521) at the courts of

Montemor-o-Velho Montemor-o-Velho () is a town and concelho, 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 Muslim invasion of Iberia, Arab occupation ...

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, Renaissance ...

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

Holy See The Holy See ( lat, Sancta Sedes, ; it, Santa Sede ), also called the See of Rome, Petrine See or Apostolic See, is the jurisdiction of the Pope in his role as the bishop of Rome. It includes the apostolic episcopal see of the Diocese of Rome ...

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

Vasco da Gama Vasco da Gama, 1st Count of Vidigueira (; ; c. 1460s – 24 December 1524), was a Portuguese explorer and the first European to reach India by sea. His initial voyage to India by way of Cape of Good Hope (1497–1499) was the first to link E ...

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

Convento de Nossa Senhora do Bom Sucesso (2018)

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 ( pt, Catarina de Bragança; 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, ...

(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 ( pt, Sereníssima Casa de Bragança), also known as the Brigantine Dynasty (''Dinastia Brigantina''), is a dynasty of emperors, kings, princes, and dukes of Portuguese origin which reigned in Europe and the Ame ...

in the

Monastery of São Vicente de Fora The Church and Monastery of São Vicente de Fora, meaning "Monastery of St. Vincent Outside the Walls", is a 17th-century church and monastery in the city of Lisbon, Portugal. It is one of the most important monasteries and mannerist buildings in ...

, along with his three brothers and sister. During the reign of Peter II, in 1682, the bodies of King Sebastian and

Cardinal Henrique Henry ( pt, Henrique ; 31 January 1512 — 31 January 1580), dubbed the Chaste ( pt, o Casto, links=no) and the Cardinal-King ( pt, o Cardeal-Rei, links=no), was king of Portugal and a cardinal of the Catholic Church, who ruled Portugal between ...

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 1523 ...

) 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 ( pt, Mosteiro dos Jerónimos, ) is a former monastery of the Order of Saint Jerome near the Tagus river in the parish of Belém, in the Lisbon Municipality, Portugal. It became the necropolis o ...

. This was the foundation of the bastion of the

Belém Tower Belém Tower ( pt, Torre de Belém, links=no, ), officially the Tower of Vincent of Saragossa, Saint Vincent ( pt, Torre de São Vicente, links=no) is a 16th-century fortification located in Lisbon that served as a point of embarkation and dis ...

(''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 founded in the twelfth or thirteenth century; the term distinguishes the mendicants' itinerant apostolic character, exercised broadly under the jurisdiction of a superior general, from the ol ...

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 * J ...

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 is an adverb that means "in, on, or at this place". It may also refer to: Software * Here Technologies, a mapping company * Here WeGo (formerly Here Maps), a mobile app and map website by Here Technologies, Here Television * Here TV (form ...

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 ja, 津波, lit=harbour wave, ) 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 other underwater explo ...

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 The Palace of Ajuda ( pt, Palácio da Ajuda, ) is a neoclassical monument in the civil parish of Ajuda in the city of Lisbon, central Portugal. Built on the site of a temporary wooden building constructed to house the Royal family after the 175 ...

would be built. This relocation by the King and his prime minister and Secretary of State, the

Marquess of Pombal Count of Oeiras () was a Portuguese title of nobility created by a royal decree, dated July 15, 1759, by King Joseph I of Portugal, and granted to Sebastião José de Carvalho e Melo, head of the Portuguese government. Later, through another roya ...

, 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 ( pt, Palácio de 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 ...

. A lack of funds had delayed completion of the

Ajuda National Palace The Palace of Ajuda ( pt, Palácio da Ajuda, ) is a neoclassical monument in the civil parish of Ajuda in the city of Lisbon, central Portugal. Built on the site of a temporary wooden building constructed to house the Royal family after the 175 ...

, so with the French invasion in 1807, the royal family fled to

Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro ( , , ; literally 'River of January'), or simply Rio, is the capital of the state of the same name, Brazil's third-most populous state, and the second-most populous city in Brazil, after São Paulo. Listed by the GaWC as a b ...

. When they returned to Portugal in 1821, King John VI of Portugal, John VI installed them in the Necessidades Palace, Necessidades and Bemposta Palaces. Jardim Tropical - Lisboa - Portugal (351557375)

Jardim Tropical - Lisboa - Portugal (351557375)

Belém gradually evolved into an industrial zone, particularly around Pedrouços and Bom Sucesso, attracting factories of various kinds such as tannery, tanneries, metal stampers, glassmakers, earthenware manufacturers, textile makers, woollenware producers and a Cordoaria Nacional, 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. 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 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, 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 Portuguese World Exhibition, 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 ( pt, Mosteiro dos Jerónimos, ) is a former monastery of the Order of Saint Jerome near the Tagus river in the parish of Belém, in the Lisbon Municipality, Portugal. It became the necropolis o ...

,

Belém Tower Belém Tower ( pt, Torre de Belém, links=no, ), officially the Tower of Vincent of Saragossa, Saint Vincent ( pt, Torre de São Vicente, links=no) is a 16th-century fortification located in Lisbon that served as a point of embarkation and dis ...

, and

Belém Palace The Belém Palace ( pt, Palácio de Belém), formally the National Palace of Belém, ( pt, Palácio Nacional de Belém), is the current official residence of the President of the Portuguese Republic, the head of state of Portugal. Located in the ...

) began to occupy the waterfront. This included the iconic

Padrão dos Descobrimentos ''Padrão dos Descobrimentos'' (; lit. ''Monument of the'' ''Discoveries'') is a monument on the northern bank of the Tagus river estuary, in the civil parish of Santa Maria de Belém, Lisbon. Located along the river where ships departed to explor ...

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 (; pt, Lisboa ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 544,851 within its administrative limits in an area of 100.05 km2. Grande Lisboa, Lisbon's urban area extends beyond the city's administr ...

resulted in the merging of the latter and the parish of São Francisco Xavier (Lisbon), São Francisco Xavier, thus creating the new parish of Belém.

Geography

The southwestern limit of the city of Lisbon, Belém is delimited by the Tagus River, Tagus 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 (Lisbon), Ajuda in the northeast, and Benfica (Lisbon), Benfica in the north; and to the west by the municipality of Oeiras Municipality, Portugal, Oeiras (Algés (Oeiras), Algés). In addition to the historical buildings and avenues, Belém is the location of the ''Jardim do Ultramar'' ( en, Overseas Garden), several blocks of green-spaces that includes the gardens of the ''Praça do Império'' ( en, Imperial Garden), the ''Jardim Vasco de Gama'' ( en, Vasco de Gama Garden), ''Afonso de Albuquerque Square'' and ''Jardim Agricola Tropical'' ( en, Tropical Garden Museum). 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 Belém Palace, Palace of Belém. Also in Belém it's located the extreme southwest section of the Monsanto Forest Park.

Architecture

Léglise Sainte-Marie et le monastère des Hiéronymites (Lisbonne) (1454116766)

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 nata, pastel de Belém'' (pl.: ''pastéis de Belém''), an egg tart made with flaky pastry. Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown (26)

Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown (26)

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. 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 The Belém Palace ( pt, Palácio de Belém), formally the National Palace of Belém, ( pt, Palácio Nacional de Belém), is the current official residence of the President of the Portuguese Republic, the head of state of Portugal. Located in the ...

'' (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''. MAAT (27389922559)

Belém is home to a number of other museums: ''Electricity Museum (Lisbon), Museu da Electricidade'' (Electricity Museum), ''Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology'', ''Museu do Centro Científico e Cultural de Macau'' (Macau 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, a renowned sports club 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 S.L. Benfica, Benfica, Sporting Clube de Portugal, Sporting and FC Porto, Porto) 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 ( pt, Torre de Belém, links=no, ), officially the Tower of Vincent of Saragossa, Saint Vincent ( pt, Torre de São Vicente, links=no) is a 16th-century fortification located in Lisbon that served as a point of embarkation and dis ...

( pt, Torre de Belém) – constructed on the rocky outcropping/island along the northern margin of the Tagus River as part of a defensive system to protect access to the Tagus estuary envisioned by John II of Portugal, it is one of Belém's iconic symbols of the parish. Originally, the ''Tower of Saint Vincent'' ( pt, Torre de São Vicente), it was elaborated by Manuel I of Portugal (1515–1520) to guard the entrance to the port at Belém. It stood on a little island in right side of the Tagus, surrounded by water. * Monument to the Discoveries ( pt,

Padrão dos Descobrimentos ''Padrão dos Descobrimentos'' (; lit. ''Monument of the'' ''Discoveries'') is a monument on the northern bank of the Tagus river estuary, in the civil parish of Santa Maria de Belém, Lisbon. Located along the river where ships departed to explor ...

) - 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 ''Dom'' Henrique of Portugal, Duke of Viseu (4 March 1394 – 13 November 1460), better known as Prince Henry the Navigator ( pt, Infante Dom Henrique, o Navegador), was a central figure in the early days of the Portuguese Empire and in the 15t ...

. The monument is sculpted in the form of a ship's prow, with dozens of figures from Portuguese history following a statue of the Infante Henry sculpted in bas-relief. Adjacent to the monument is a Portuguese pavement, calçada square in the form of a map, showing the routes of various Portuguese explorers, during the Age of Discovery. * Thai Pavilion ( pt, Sala Thai) - 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 the 21st of 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 ( pt, Mosteiro dos Jerónimos, ) is a former monastery of the Order of Saint Jerome near the Tagus river in the parish of Belém, in the Lisbon Municipality, Portugal. It became the necropolis o ...

( pt, Mosteiro dos Jerónimos) – located along the ''Praça do Império'' (Empire Square), across from the ''

Padrão dos Descobrimentos ''Padrão dos Descobrimentos'' (; lit. ''Monument of the'' ''Discoveries'') is a monument on the northern bank of the Tagus river estuary, in the civil parish of Santa Maria de Belém, Lisbon. Located along the river where ships departed to explor ...

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

Henry the Navigator ''Dom'' Henrique of Portugal, Duke of Viseu (4 March 1394 – 13 November 1460), better known as Prince Henry the Navigator ( pt, Infante Dom Henrique, o Navegador), was a central figure in the early days of the Portuguese Empire and in the 15t ...

; expanded and elaborated from 1501 by architects for King Manuel I of Portugal 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, Renaissance ...

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

Vasco da Gama Vasco da Gama, 1st Count of Vidigueira (; ; c. 1460s – 24 December 1524), was a Portuguese explorer and the first European to reach India by sea. His initial voyage to India by way of Cape of Good Hope (1497–1499) was the first to link E ...

's successful voyage to India. 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 World Heritage Site, 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 ''Maritime Museum (Lisbon), 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 Belém (Lisbon), Parishes of Lisbon