Portugal - Part VI - Lisbon

I made it into Lisboa (Lisbon) by mid afternoon and for the first time since entering the country I encountered traffic. Since it was rush-hour the congestion was on a par with Toronto along the QEW or 401. What made it worse was the fact that to enter the city I had to cross a bridge as the city lies on the west bank of the Tagus River and there is only two bridges that span this mighty waterway.  The bridge was so spectacular that the first thing I did was drive down by the riverside and grab an image of it.

Often compared to the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco it was in fact built by the same company that constructed the San Francisco - Oakland Bridge (not the Golden Gate). Originally called the Salazar Bridge after the former long time Portuguese dictator it was renamed the 25th of April Bridge after the revolution that overthrew him. One of the longest suspension bridges in the world it features a huge Christ the King statue on its east bank. I made sure to go back at night to capture a shot of this beautiful structure all lit up.

Lisbon is nicknamed the "city of seven hills" and is one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. Primarily a maritime nation I headed down to the riverside area of Belem to see some sights from the former glory of this rich colonial empire. 

Pictured at left is the Monastery of Jeronimos. Construction started in 1501 during the country's heyday and took 70 years to build and cost 5000 kg of gold to complete.

The monastery is right in the heart of Belem, an area of Lisbon famed for centuries as the center of its discoveries. Nearby is the Monument to the Discoveries. This 171 foot monument shaped like a ships prow was built in 1960 to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the death of Prince Henry the Navigator, the man responsible for financing many of the overseas explorations. 

It is built on the exact spot of the former marina of Belem, a place where in 1497 Vasco da Gama embarked on his voyage to "discover" India and where in 1493 Christopher Columbus anchored on his way back to Spain after discovering the Americas. The monument is adorned with 30 statues of men who contributed important roles in these discoveries.

Just down the embankment is the UNSECO World Heritage - Belem Tower (also known as the Tower of St. Vincent). When completed in 1519 on an island in Tagus River this 100 foot fortress was the key to the city's maritime defense as it guarded its approach from the sea.

I spent the bulk of a day visiting the Belem area and a few other historic neighborhoods before heading back to my hotel as I had an early morning planned for a visit to the royal town of Sintra.