PORTUGAL ~ Belem Tower - Lisbon - UNESCO ~

... First of two wonderful surprises... the Tower of Belem with the Jerónimos Monastery (next postcardツ) make of the beautiful Belem district in Lisbon one of the most visited and a must see area... the most renowned symbol situated along the Tagus riverbank... one Portugal's most famous landmarks... the Tower of Belem was the first sign of home and became a symbolic icon for the intrepid explorers and their enlisted crews.... Big Thanks Andrene!!¯\_(ツ)_/¯

The Tower of Belem was commissioned by King John II and constructed in the early 16th century with the same bricks used for the nearby monastery.  It was designed as as part of a line of defences to protect Lisbon’s early harbour and was positioned in the middle of the River Tagus on a small outcrop of rocks which was also a ceremonial gateway to Lisbon. Enemy boats which tried to make their way up the river would be met by a canon barrage from Belem Tower.

Belem is a district in western Lisbon at the mouth of the Tagus River. It’s history dates back to prehistoric times but it was in the Middle Ages that its most famous landmarks were constructed.

It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site (along with the nearby Jerónimos Monastery) because of the significant role it played in the Portuguese maritime discoveries of the era of the Age of Discoveries.

Stamp:

The 50th Anniversary of the Madeira Botanical Garden
(Issued 30-04-2010)