Torrey de Belen Tower

In Lisbon, you can not pass by a unique monument of Portuguese Renaissance architecture - the Belém Tower, towering above the waters of the Tagus River. The Portuguese built this fortified fort in honor of the famous expedition of the navigator Vasco da Gama, who opened the way to India.

The tower was originally conceived as a five-tiered lighthouse fortress. It was built between 1515 and 1521 under King Manuel I. This is where the brave Portuguese sailors set out in search of new trade routes. Until some time ago, the Tower served as a prison and weapons depot.

The tower is richly decorated with images of ropes, openwork balconies, Arabic-style turrets, jagged walls and even the coats of arms of the knightly order. This magnificent structure, whose height is 35 meters, is considered the brightest example of the late Gothic style "Manueline", typical architecture of Portugal. Since the XIX century, this monument was chosen by romantics and it began to attract travelers. In 1983, the tower was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.