The Belem Tower was built in the 15th century as a defensive tower guarding the entrance to the Tagus River in Lisbon. It was part of King João II's plan to build fortresses in a triangle formation at the mouth of the Tagus for protection. The tower is decorated with Manueline symbols representing the king's power. Over time, it served various functions including customs control, a telegraph station, and lighthouse, and also as a political prison. It was classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983.

1. Work done by:
Aphroditie Iliopoulou
Jan Palou
Lucie Pultrova
Mariana Vaz

2. • Belem Tower is a defense tower built in the Age of
the Discoveries (when defending the city was
really important) in tribute to the saint patron of
the city, Saint Vicente.

3. In order to enhance Lisbon’s defence, King João II
drew up a plan that consisted of forming a three-fortress-
defence on the Tagus’s estuary. It formed a triangle and on
each angle, a fortress was constructed: Cascais's fortress on
the right bank, S. Sebastião da Caparica on the left bank
and Belém Tower in the water.

4. • The tower is replete with
Manueline decoration, symbols of
the King’s power: cables encircling
the building and terminating in
elegant knots, armillary spheres,
crosses of the Military Order of
Christ and naturalistic elements
such as the rhinoceros, the first
such representation in stone
known in Europe.

5. … with the construction of new, more modern and more
effective defences, the Tower of Belém lost its role as defender of the
entrance of the River Tagus.
As centuries passed, new functions were given to the tower. It was a
customs control point, a telegraph station and even
a lighthouse.

6. It also served as a political prison, its storerooms transformed
into dungeons, since the time when Philip II of Spain became
king of Portugal (1580) and during periods of political unrest.
Finally, in 1983 UNESCO classified it as a World Heritage
Site.

7. • We think you should visit the Belem tower because
it´s a beautifull monument that throughout the
times had an important role in our history , specialy
in the portuguese discoveries and it represents a
very rich and gorgeus time in our history.