Page 110 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Portugal

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TORRE DE Did You Know?

The tower’s real name
BELÉM Vicente, after the city’s
is the Torre de São
patron saint.
EXPERIENCE Belém £ Belém # 10am–6:30pm Tue–Sun (to 5:30pm Apr–Oct) Battlements, decorated
 A10 ⌂ Avenida de Brasilia @ 727, 728, 729, 751 v 15
¢ 1 Jan, Easter Sun, 1 May, 13 Jun, 25 Dec ∑ torrebelem.gov.pt
Set like a giant stone rook at the edge of the Tagus,
with the cross of the
this elaborate tower showcases some of Belém’s best
Order of Christ
Manueline architecture. After admiring the intricate
exterior, climb its narrow spiral staircase for
breathtaking views.
Commissioned by Manuel I, the tower was built as a
fortress in 1514–20 and soon became a symbol of
Portugal’s great era of expansion. The real beauty
of this Manueline gem lies in the decoration of the
exterior. Adorned with rope carved in stone, it has
openwork balconies, Moorish-style watchtowers
and distinctive battlements in the shape of
shields. The Gothic interior below the terrace,
which served as a storeroom for arms and a
prison, is very austere, but the private quarters
in the tower are worth visiting for the loggia
and the panorama.
The Italian-inspired
arcaded loggia is a
light touch along the
battlements.
The stone fortess, a
symbol of Portugal’s
seafaring power

Sentry The vaulted dungeon
posts was used as a prison
until the 19th century.
Statue of the Virgin Mary, a
symbol of protection for sailors
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