Belém Tower

Belém Tower, locally known as Torre de Belém and officially as Torre de São Vicente, stands in the city of Lisbon in the Grande Lisboa region in Portugal.

In the late 15th century, John II of Portugal ordered the building of a strong fort at the mouth of the Tagus River to aid other fortifications in the protection of Lisbon. He died before any plans had been drawn, however.

Two decades later, Manuel I of Portugal finally reissued the order for the construction of a military fortification on the northern margin of the Tagus at Belém. The Belém Tower was then built, between ca. 1514 and 1519 by the architect Francisco de Arruda in a very decorative architectural style, called Manueline. It consisted of a 4-storey tower, situated on a rocky outcrop in the Tagus River, near its northern bank and was then named "Castelo de São Vicente de Belém".

By 1571 its defensive abilities were considered inadequate, and a bastion was added to the riverside of the tower. In 1580, however, its garrison surrendered, after only a couple of hours of fighting, to Spanish troops. Later in the 1580s, the earlier bastion was therefore rebuilt and strengthened.

During the Peninsular War, the French had invaded Lisbon and detachments of their troops were quartered in Belém Tower from 1808 to 1814. The tower's dungeons were used as a prison from the late 16th century until 1830. The tower had also served as a custom house for ships, a use which ended in 1833. The tower then fell into decline, until it was restored to its present appearance in 1845-6.

Belém Tower can be visited for a fee. It is a famous landmark and tourist destination in Lisbon and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. So be prepared to join a long waiting line in the sun, if you visit in summer. Because space inside the tower is limited, only a small number of people are allowed inside at any time. It is a beautiful tower, so worth the wait.

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