Belém Tower Portugal

Legendary

A 16th-century fortification located on the Tagus River.

Photo by dchelyadnik

A rhinoceros carved in stone sits on the outside wall of Belém Tower, and it's believed to be the very first depiction of a rhino in European art. It was inspired by a real rhinoceros sent as a gift to Portugal's King Manuel I in 1513, an animal so strange and exotic to Europeans at the time that sculptors carved it into the tower's wall to mark the moment.

Built in the 16th century, between 1514 and 1519, Belém Tower stands on the bank of the Tagus River just outside Lisbon. King Manuel I commissioned it, and the architect Francisco de Arruda designed it to defend the harbor and serve as a ceremonial gateway for ships heading out on voyages of exploration.

The tower rises 30 meters tall and is built entirely from lioz limestone, a pale local stone quarried near Lisbon. It combines a low fortified bastion at the base with a four-story tower rising above it, decorated with twisting rope carvings, crosses, and small domed watchtowers inspired by Moorish architecture.

The tower's job changed constantly over the centuries. It began life as a fort defending Lisbon's harbor, then became a customs checkpoint, a lighthouse, a telegraph station, and even a prison, with dungeons that held captives for over 200 years.

Explorers once passed by this tower on their way out to sea, heading toward India, Brazil, and Africa during Portugal's great age of exploration. It became a symbol of that era, watching ships leave for voyages that would change the map of the world.

In 1983, Belém Tower became a UNESCO World Heritage Site, alongside the nearby Jerónimos Monastery. Together they represent one of the finest examples of the Manueline architectural style, Portugal's own decorative version of Gothic and Renaissance design.

Climb the narrow spiral staircase to the top terrace for sweeping views of the Tagus River and the 25 de Abril Bridge. Look closely at the carvings on the outside walls to spot the famous rhinoceros gargoyle. Walk through the old bastion below, where cannons once stood guard over the river.