Gargoyles @ Torre de Belem - Lisboa, Portugal
Posted by: 
manchanegra
N 38° 41.496 W 009° 12.954
29S E 481223 N 4282576
The Belem Tower is a defensive tower in the Tagus River in Lisbon built in Gothic Manueline Style and where you can find several gargoyles.
Waymark Code: WMD1QR
Location: Lisboa, Portugal
Date Posted: 11/07/2011
Views: 25
Belém Tower, or Torre de Belém, is a fortified tower located in the Belém district of Lisbon, Portugal.
It was built in the early 16th century in the Portuguese late gothic style, the manueline, and is one of the symbols of the city. It is classified, together with the nearby Mosteiro dos Jerónimos, as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The Belém Tower was built as part of a defence system of the entrance of the Tagus river, which was necessary to protect Lisbon. The system was initiated by King John II (1455-1495), who built the Fortress of Cascais and the Fortress of Sao Sebastiao of Caparica. The banks of Belém were protected by a ship, the Grande Nau, replaced by the Tower of Belém during the reign of King Manuel I.
The Tower was constructed between 1515 and 1521 by military architect Francisco de Arruda.
The Tower of Belém is considered one of the main works of the Portuguese late gothic, the manueline style. Indeed, the tower is decorated with several typical manueline motifs like the armillary sphere, the cross of the Order of Christ, twisted ropes, elaborate rib vaulting and other features. However, some of the decoration dates from the renovation of the 1840s, like the shields that decorate the crenellations of the walls and the decoration of the small cloister of the bastion.
Onother important feature in the decoration of the tower are the gargoyles. The can be found in the top of the tower and in the cloister on the ground level floor of the tower.
Water spout is used: yes
Condition: Lightly Weathered
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