Belém

Belem is located at the ocean end of the Tagus estuary. It is now part of Lisbon. Originally, there were 2 identical towers, one on each side of the river, protecting the maritime entrance to Lisbon. Only 1 survived the 1755 earthquake, and that is the 1st picture.
Belem was an important port during the age of discovery. Henry the Navigator (remember your world history?) was a royal prince and governor of the Order of Christ. He was instrumental in starting it all. While I haven't heard it said, I suspect his influence is why so many of the Portuguese ships had the cross of the Order of Christ on their sails. (NB. Remember the connection between the Templars and the Order of Christ.)
Pictures 2&3 are of the 2 sides of the Monument to Discovery on the Belém waterfront that has about 40 figures of people important to Portugal's golden age.
Perhaps the most famous of the Portuguese explorers was Vasco De Gama. The 4th picture is his tomb that is located in the Jerónimos Monastery located opposite the Monument. The 5th and 6th pictures are of the monastery: the facade and the church. The monatery started out as an outpost of the Order of Christ but was transfered.to others.
Pictures 7&8 also reflect the Age of Discovery. Both are national gifts in honor of the 500th anniversary of reaching India. The 7th picture is the gift from Thailand, recognizing Portugal reaching there, and the 8th is from South Africa, recognizing the 1st rounding of the Cape of Good Hope.
The 9th picture is the harbor bridge that was built using the design plans of the Golden Gate bridge. The 10th picture is a copy of the Stature of Christ in Rio. I'm told the bishop here had to have one if Rio had one.Leggi altro