Torre de Belem & The Monument to the Discoveries, Lisbon, PT
We took a walk along the shores of the Tagus River to see two beautiful structures. One is the Torre de Belem which was built in 1515 as a fortress to guard the entrance to Lisbon’s harbor. The Belem Tower was the starting point for many of the voyages of discovery, and for the sailors it was the last sight of their homeland.
The second monument is called Padrao Dos Descobrimentos (The Monument to the Discoveries). The monument celebrates the Portuguese Age of Discovery during the 15th and 16th centuries. The monument symbolizes a caravel which is a small, fast Spanish or Portuguese sailing ship of the 15th–17th centuries, headed by the figure of Prince Henry, the Navigator, as well as King Afonso V, Vasco da Gama, Fernando Magellan as well as others.