Wednesday, May 18, 2022
#1 Jeronimos Monastery (The Royal Monastery of Santa Maria de Belém)
Jeronimos Monastery was commissioned by King Manuel I (King of Portugal from 1495-1521) and construction began in 1501 but took 100 years to complete! The monastery was intended for monks of the Catholic Order of Saint Jerome and for a time, only Royalty and monks of the order were permitted to enter the inner cloister. The outside of the monastery is in disrepair in some areas which may not seem so inviting. However, the inside is absolutely astounding and in fantastic condition. Nearly every surface is intricately sculpted and it was classified as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1983. The tombs of several Royal family members reside within the church as well as the tomb of the explorer Vasco de Gama and the poet Luis de Camoes.
#2 Torre de Belem
The Tower of Belem or Tower of St. Vincent is located near and was built in conjunction with the Jeronimos Monastery by King Manuel I. It was constructed between 1516 and 1519 for the purpose of protecting the mouth of the Tagus river. While beautiful in design and detail, it wasn’t a very successful fortress because in 1580, after only a few hours of battle, the soldiers at the tower surrendered to the Spanish under the command of the Duke of Alba.
#3 Museu do Combatante
The Fort of Bom Sucesso was constructed between 1780 and 1802 and currently houses the Combatant’s Museum. The fort has seen some tumultuous times and was occupied by the French in 1808 and was used as the headquarters of the Military Postal Service in the Portuguese Colonial War in 1961. The monument to fallen soldiers is guarded by two soldiers and the wall lists all those who have died fighting for the country. The Combatant’s Museum was fun to check out since you can climb inside the tanks and amphibious vehicles and go through the trenches as if you were in a war zone.
#4 Padrão dos Descobrimentos (Monument of the Discoveries)
The Monument of the Discoveries is located on the shore of the Tagus river. It is from this area that Vasco De Gama departed on his exploration to discover the sea route to India and later ships would also regularly depart for India or Asia from this same river. Prince Henry the Navigator tops the string of sculptures jutting out into the river and the view from the top of the monument is wonderful.
#5 Pasteis de Belem
The Pasteis de Belem is the original form of the Pastel de Nata that are a popular custard tart pastry throughout Portugal. The pastries were actually developed by the Monks of the Jeronimos Monastery who would use egg whites to starch their clothes but would then use the remaining egg yolks to make pastries. The monks sold the recipe to the nearby sugar refinery when the monastery closed in 1834 and the refinery opened a shop called the Fábrica de Pastéis de Belém. The shop still sells Pasteis de Belem according to the original recipe and I must say, it is quite tasty! The pastry crust is light and fluffy and the custard is soft and hot. Top it with powdered sugar and cinnamon and it’s tough to beat.
That’s it for my Top 5 from Lisbon! Hope you enjoyed travelling along!
