Tower of Belem
Beez Neez now Chy Whella
Big Bear and Pepe Millard
Fri 29 Aug 2008 23:07
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The Tower of
Belem
The Tower of Belem was constructed
between 1515 and 1521, designed by Fransisco Arruda. It was the fort
designed to defend the entrance of the River Tagus. It is a masterpiece of
Manueline style and is notable for its imposing exterior and the sobriety of its
Gothic interior. I just love the thing and was so chuffed to be able to jump off
the bus and spend twenty minutes revelling in the place.
   The first view you get from the bus.
Me happy to be there and Bear by the model commisioned by The Rotary Club of
Portugal.
 I have had a few requests to shove
more photos of me in the blogs, difficult as I am the photographer and happen to
hate having my picture taken, but, just to please, I have put in a larger
picture of me showing my cheesy pleasure at being at the door to the Tower.
      The costing of the renovation speaks
for itself, my favourite shot of the frontage and Bear showing the Tower at low
tide.
   Along the waterfront from the Tower
of Belem is this replica of the first crossing of the Atlantic, cannot remember
the names, but it was two blokes.
The next along is The Monument To The
Discoveries, standing at the edge of the Tagus. Inaugurated in 1960 to
commemorate the quincentury of the death of Infante Dom Henrique, who was held
captive in Africa and died in prison. Each side of the monument has a ramp
with 16 statues each side representing the figures of the most prominent in The
Discoveries.
 The River Tagus, I thought would look
about the width of the River Tamar in Plymouth, little did I know its vast by
comparison. The bridge behind Bear crosses at its narrowest point at three
kilometers, to The Statue of Christ, arms wide like the one in Rio
which weighs 40,000 tons, stands over 100 meters high and was
commissioned by the Government to commemorate the Portugese involvment in
World War Two. Further along the river is a newer motorway bridge, the longest
in Europe at 15 kilometers named after Vasco da Gama.
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