Tower of Belém
Lisbon, Portugal
Facing the Port of Lisbon are the Tower of Belém and Jerónimos Cloister and Church, two sixteenth-century structures that have come to define the Portuguese capital’s skyline.
Late Gothic Manueline Architectural Style
Belém is a national symbol in Portugal, while nearby Jerónimos is the most visited historic site in the country. Both are exemplars of the late Gothic Manueline architectural style, named for King Manuel I and known for its exuberant incorporation of nautical elements. Jerónimos’s ornamentation includes ropes and anchors carved in stone, while Belém appears like a ship carved in stone as it juts out into the waters of the Tagus.
Conserving an Icon
WMF’s intervention at Belém, which worked to reverse damage from air pollution and rough harbor conditions, set the standard for conservation work in Portugal. As Isabel Cruz de Almeida, director of the Tower of Belém and Jerónimos Museum at the time, put it, the structure “is now a cultural beacon, an icon reminding the Portuguese people and visitors from abroad of the country's rich and exciting heritage.”
Click on the image block to read more about our work at this site.
Tower of Belém
Our Supporters
World Monuments Fund’s work at the Tower of Belém, led by our Portugal office in partnership with the Public Institute of Cultural Heritage, has been made possible, in part, by support from Caixa Geral de Depósitos; Cimpor; EDP; Banco Bilbao Vizcaya (Portugal); The Navigator Company; RTP; Sandeman & CIA; Grupo Atlântica Lusitânia; Banco Internacional de Crédito; The Robert W. Wilson Charitable Trust; Fundação Luso-Americana para o Desenvolvimento; Samuel H. Kress Foundation; Inforcor Design e Publicidade; and ACN Economistas.