The Belem Tower is a fortified tower on the bank of the Tagus River in Lisbon, built in the early sixteenth century as part of the defences of the estuary. It was commissioned by King Manuel I and designed by the architect Francisco de Arruda in the Manueline style, which blends late Gothic forms with maritime motifs such as ropes, armillary spheres and the cross of the Order of Christ. At that time Portuguese ships were setting out from this stretch of river on voyages to India and Brazil, and the tower acted as a ceremonial gateway to the city as well as a defensive post. Over time it served as a prison and a lighthouse. Together with the nearby Jeronimos Monastery, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Before and after
- 1513Balboa sights the Pacific
- 9 September 1513Battle of Flodden
- 31 December 1514Birth of Andreas Vesalius
- 1515Construction of Hampton Court Palace
- 1515Construction of Belém Tower
- 1515Construction of Melilla la Vieja
- 28 March 1515Birth of Teresa of Ávila
- from 13 September 1515 to 14 September 1515Battle of Marignano
- from 1516 to 1517Ottoman–Mamluk War of 1516–17
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The era
This moment belongs to the Early modern world (1500 CE to 1760 CE), voyages, printing and new ideas. You can also browse everything in the 16th century.