Padrão dos Descobrimentos

This was built in 1960 honouring the 500th anniversary of the death of Henry the Navigator by rebuilding a giant riverside monument which had originally been constructed for the 1940's world fair.

It takes the shape of a huge caravel ship in full sail with Henry at the helm and explorers on board behind him.

There is one woman, his mom Phillipa of Lancaster (she was british) there was a strong English/portuguese alliance.

Behind henry on the west side is King Manuel holding his armillary sphere, poet Comoes, on the east side is vasco Da Gama and Pedro Cabal ( he 'discovered' Brazil)

There is this huge marble map in the pavement, showing the portuguese 'discoveries' around the world..... and then the tiles surrounding that marble map are in the shape of waves and do give the optical illusion of movement and uneven terrain.Les mer