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Name: Belem Tower
Location: Lisboa
Country: Portugal
Review
this castle
Commissioned by Manuel I, the tower of Belem was built as a fortress
in the middle of the Tagus in 1515-21. Starting point for the navigators who set
out to discover the trade routes, this Manueline gem became a symbol of
Portugal's great era of expansion. The real beauty of the tower lies in the decoration
of the exterior. Adorned with rope carved in stone, it has openwork balconies,
Moorish-style watchtowers and distinctive battlements in the shape of shields.
The Gothic interior below the terrace, which served as a storeroom for arms and
a prisons very austere, but the private quarters in the tower are worth visiting
for the loggia and the panorama.
Belem Tower is considered a masterpiece and is classified in
UNESCO's International Heritage list.
| Henry Cadenhead, 49, from Southeastern,
USA, wrote: |
| Although small, no visit to Lisbon
should be considered complete without a visit to this castle. It is
within sight of the Monastery of the Geronimites, another exquisite Manu line
piece of architecture. The monastery and castle comprise two of
the finest examples of "wedding cake" architecture in
Portugal. |
| Raquel Florim, from New York, wrote: |
| From the outside, this magnificent Renaissance structure
looks a bit small--only a pretty little tower. But once you enter
you are spellbound with the size of each room, the amazing details in
architecture, and the endless stairways up to yet another floor.
One of the many structures the Portuguese can be very proud of. I
couldn't stop snapping pictures. |
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