World Heritage
Monastery of the Jerónimos and Tower of Belém in Lisbon
Description
Monastery of the Jerónimos:
A masterpiece of 16th-century architecture in Portugal, the Monastery of Jerónimos is listed as a National Monument and is inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List. It is located in one of Lisbon’s most noble areas, a both historical and monumental setting overlooking the river Tagus. It stands next to the also iconic Tower of Belém and Belém Cultural Centre.
Being symbolically linked to one of the most important moments of national recollection, the monastery, founded by King D. Manuel, still preserves most of the magnificent structures that contributed to its international recognition, including its 16th-century Cloister, the friars’ Refectory and the Library.
Tower of Belém:
Strategically built on the bank of the river Tagus between 1514 and 1520 as a defence system, the Tower of Belém is one of the jewels of architecture from the reign of King Manuel. It is a combination of a traditional keep tower with the first devices built to resist artillery fire. It still preserves some spaces used for civil purposes, under typical 16th-century vaults, a casemate for artillery and the memory of the prisons that were used since the 16th century.
It is inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List and is an icon of Portuguese cultural heritage spread across the world. The Tower of Belém stands majestically on the river front, in the monumental complex of Ajuda-Belém.