architecture
Belém Tower
A limestone tower and a low riverside bastion make one of Lisbon’s most familiar silhouettes.
The story behind the place
Look for the contrast between the slender tower and the broad platform below it. Built in the early 1500s to help defend the Tagus entrance, Belém Tower pairs military design with elaborate Manueline stonework. Carved ropes and little domed watch posts turn a fortress into something full of detail. Its setting has changed too: the tower originally stood on a small basalt island close to the riverbank.
Explore on the globe →Find Belém Tower on the map, record the discovery in your travel journal and continue exploring nearby places.
Read more from the sources
- Torre de Belém — Património Cultural, Instituto Públicowww.patrimoniocultural.gov.pt
- Torre de Belém — Turismo de Portugalwww.visitportugal.com
- Torre de Belém — Cultura Portugalwww.culturaportugal.gov.pt
