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Buildings and Structures

Belem Tower

Fortifications and Military Architecture

Belem Tower, officially the Tower of Saint Vincent, is a sixteenth century fortification in Lisbon, Portugal, that served as a point of embarkation and disembarkation for Portuguese explorers and as a ceremonial gateway to the city, symbolizing Portugal's maritime and colonial power in early modern Europe. Built during the height of the Portuguese Renaissance, it is a prominent example of the Portuguese Manueline style that also incorporates other influences, such as minarets inspired by Moorish architecture, and is composed of a bastion and a 30 meter, four story tower built of lioz limestone local to the Lisbon region.

Facts
Building Type
Fortification 1
Location
Lisbon, Portugal 1
Completed Year
1515 2
Completed Year
1519 1
Height (m)
30 1
Classification
Standing Status
Standing 1
Building Type
Building Type (category)
Fort / Fortress 1
Connections

Has Building Type

Fortification, Concepts

In Style

Manueline Architecture, Styles and Movements

Francisco de Arruda's 1514 to 1519 fortified tower guarding the Tagus, paired with Jeronimos Monastery as the twin defining monuments of Manueline architecture.

Uses Element

Limestone, Architectural Materials
Source Wikidata: Belem Tower
Additional Source Belem Tower (Wikipedia)Wikipedia lead
In the Other Atlases

Located In

Portugal

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is located.

Sources
1. Belem Tower (Wikipedia)
  • Lead section
    Belém Tower (Portuguese: Torre de Belém, pronounced [ˈtoʁɨ ðɨ βɨˈlɐ̃j]; literally: Bethlehem Tower), officially the Tower of Saint Vincent (Portuguese: Torre de São Vicente), is a 16th-century fortification located in Lisbon, Portugal, which served as a point of embarkation and disembarkation for Portuguese explorers and as a ceremonial gateway to Lisbon.
  • Wikipedia History section (completion year)
    The building was finished in 1519, just two years before Manuel's death, and Gaspar de Paiva was temporarily stationed to command the fortress;
  • Wikipedia lead section (height)
    The structure was built from lioz limestone, a material local to the Lisbon region, and is composed of a bastion and a 30-metre (100 ft) four-storey tower.
  • Lead section
    It was built during the height of the Portuguese Renaissance and is a prominent example of the Portuguese Manueline style, but it also incorporates other architectural styles, such as the minarets, which are inspired by Moorish architecture. The structure was built from lioz limestone, a material local to the Lisbon region, and is composed of a bastion and a 30-metre (100 ft) four-storey tower.
  • Uses Element: Limestone, Wikipedia lead
    The structure was built from lioz limestone, a material local to the Lisbon region, and is composed of a bastion and a 30-metre (100 ft) four-storey tower.
View the Source
2. Wikidata: Belem Tower
  • Wikidata Q215003, class allow-list match (w-wdresolver-0926)
  • Wikidata Q215003, P571 claim (w-bbfill-artsarchag-0926)
View the Source
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