Also in Belèm,on the river bank,you will find another marvellous Manueline monument, also classified as World Heritage by UNESCO, the Torre de Belèm.
Designed in the 16th century by Francisco Arruda,the Torre de Belèm is a square tower with a polygonal bastion facing the river Tagus.
The exterior is covered with abundant decoration,its facades showing Arabic and Venetian influences on the balconies and verandas,contrasting with the interior,which is a lot most austere in its decoration.The organic elements of the Manueline style are rapresented here in many different forms and the Torre de Bèlem has the first sculptural prtrayal of an African animal,in this case a rhinoceros.

Much more recent but still invoking the grandeur of the Age of Discovery in Belèm is the Padrao dos Descobrimentos .The monument ,from 1960,commemorates the five hundredth anniversary of the death of Henry the Navigator,paying tribute to the instigator of the Voyages of Discovery and also to the most important Portuguese sailors.

The singularity of Belèm is without a doubt its role as a symbol of the “golden age”of the Voyages of Discovery.

However the modern age and cultural entertainment are also present in the CCB-Centro Cultural de Belèm.To walks in the extensive gardens,to admire the river views or simply to relax with a delicious”pastel de nata”-for all this Belèm is foundamental.