Torre de Belém
The Belém Tower
The Torre de Belém (Belém Tower) is one of the most important monuments in Lisbon. It was built between 1512 and 1521 in the Manueline architectural style, a Portuguese late gothic style developed during the reign of the King D. Manuel I to commemorate the Vasco da Gama expedition and discovery of India. The Tower is 35 metres tall, divided into four floors, and was used as a bulwark on the coast of Belém, as a prison and as a customs office. Some historians argue that, due to its height and lack of architectural integration with its surroundings, the Tower was mainly used as an advanced post for the customs office.
The Torre de Belém (Belém Tower) is one of the most important monuments in Lisbon. It was built between 1512 and 1521 in the Manueline architectural style, a Portuguese late gothic style developed during the reign of the King D. Manuel I to commemorate the Vasco da Gama expedition and discovery of India. The Tower is 35 metres tall, divided into four floors, and was used as a bulwark on the coast of Belém, as a prison and as a customs office. Some historians argue that, due to its height and lack of architectural integration with its surroundings, the Tower was mainly used as an advanced post for the customs office.
