Belém Tower (Portuguese: Torre de Belém, pronounced: [ˈtoʁ(ɨ) - TopicsExpress



          

Belém Tower (Portuguese: Torre de Belém, pronounced: [ˈtoʁ(ɨ) dɨ bɨˈlɐ̃ȷ̃]) or the Tower of St Vincent is a fortified tower located in the civil parish of Santa Maria de Belém in the municipality of Lisbon, Portugal. 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. The tower was commissioned by King John II to be part of a defense system at the mouth of the Tagus river and a ceremonial gateway to Lisbon. It is one of the most iconic of what has come to be called the Manueline Building style. Described as a plush or sumptuous Gothic unique to Portugal.
Posted on: Mon, 17 Mar 2014 21:39:46 +0000

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