Padrão dos Descobrimentos: A Tribute to the Age of Discovery

The angular Monument to the Discoveries, an enormous monolith that leans over the River Tagus to resemble the prow of a caravel, the type of ship commanded by Portuguese navigators in the 15th century to chart unexplored oceans and discover new lands, dominates the Belém waterfront.

The design is intentional. This iconic structure was built in 1960 to commemorate the 500th anniversary of Henry the Navigator's death. It pays appropriate tribute to all those actively involved in the development of the Golden Age of Discovery through an amazing frieze of statues of the most prominent personalities, figures such as Vasco da Gama, Ferno de Magalhaes, and Pedro Alves Cabral, set along both sides of the monument. Henry stands in the foreground, caravel in hand.

After admiring those immortalized in stone, take an elevator to the top of the monument for a bird's-eye view of the riverfront and surrounding area. A massive pavement compass, a giant mosaic map of the world charting the locations and dates each new land was discovered, is sunken into the esplanade below. It's one of the more unusual photo opportunities in Lisbon.

Address: Av. Brasília, 1400-038 Lisboa, Portugal
Timings: 10AM - 6:30PM
Phone: +351 21 303 1950
Google rating: 4.6/5

Website: http://www.padraodosdescobrimentos.pt/