Belem Tower Lisbon

The tower is 500 years old, it’s located on the northern banks of the Tagus River and it’s standing proof of Portugal’s glorious Age of Discovery. The tower was built in Manueline architecture (with hints of other architectural styles such as Italian, Islamic, Moorish and North African) and it’s truly stunning – both on the outside and on the inside. The purpose of the tower switched to be a state prison in 1589. This lasted about 250 years. Then Belem Tower became a customs port, then a telegraph station, then a lighthouse. Belem Tower became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983 and it stands as proof of Portugal’s maritime powers and its Age of Discoveries. #travel #portugal #lisbon