Belém / Ajuda

The Jerónimos Monastery is a National Monument and was classified a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983.

King Manuel I built a large monastery near the location where the Infante D. Henrique ordered a church to be built in the mid-15th century by invocation of St. Mary of Belém.

To immortalise the memory of the Infante, for his intense devotion to Our Lady and faith in St. Jerome, in 1496 King Manuel I decided to found the Monastery of St. Mary of Belém, near the city of Lisbon, next to the Tagus River.

Donated to the monks of the Order of St. Jerome, today it is commonly known as the Jerónimos Monastery.

A pantheon of the Avis-Beja Dynasty, in the 19th century the church became the sepulchre for heroes and poets: Vasco da Gama and Luís de Camões.

A notable work of architecture, it became part of Portuguese identity and culture.

The Belém Tower, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is one of Lisbon’s most striking monuments and the icon of a country historically moulded by its proximity to the ocean and its maritime discoveries of new worlds.

Discoveries by Portuguese navigators transformed Lisbon into the world’s main trade hub in the 15th and 16th centuries.

To protect the city, King João II conceived a pioneer project to defend Lisbon from enemy ships, a work completed in 1514 and which included the building of the Belém Tower, designed by architect Francisco de Arruda.

The tower’s unique design includes a modern and heavily armed bastion, protruding over the river.

King Manuel I clearly wished the Belém Tower to stand as a lasting symbol of his powerful reign by depicting the royal coat of arms, the armillary sphere and the cross of the Order of Christ.

MAAT – Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology is the new cultural centre for Lisbon.

It’s a museum where these three areas intertwine within a space of debate, discovery, critical thinking and international dialogue. It’s an innovative project which establishes a connection between the new building, designed by Amanda Levete Architects’ studio, and Central Tejo Power Station, one of Portugal’s most prominent examples of industrial architecture from the first half of the 20th century, and one of the most visited museums in the country.

MAAT’s ambition is to present national and international exhibitions by contemporary artists, architects and thinkers. The programme will also include various curatorial perspectives on EDP Foundation’s private Art Collection, reflecting current subject matters and trends.

Portuguese doçaria conventual is one of the country’s greatest culinary traditions.

Based on eggs and sugar, it was developed in convents from the 15th century onwards.

There are many theories why and there is no doubt that the arrival of sugar from Brazil allowed the sweets served in the royal palaces to evolve.

There are myriad theories, from the availability of egg yolks – since the whites were used to launder clothes – to the fact that the nobility was obliged to remain at court and entertained itself by inventing recipes to fill the time.

In the Lisbon region, there are various delicious examples of this art form, of which Fradinhos de Mafra, Pasteis de Belém, Nozes de Cascais and Toucinho do Céu de Odivelas are just a few.

Come and discover the flavours that history created.

The Centro Cultural de Belém is one of modern Lisbon’s biggest icons.

Designed by Manuel Salgado and Vittorio Gregotti, it was built on a special site. Its modern architecture contrasts gently with some of the most iconic buildings of old Lisbon.

If you walk from Jerónimos to the CCB, you cross centuries of history in just a few steps.

The CCB is one of the most popular places amongst Lisbonites and visitors for its closeness to the river, its gardens and cafés offering some of the best public spaces in the city.

With auditoriums, museums, temporary shows and major events, the CCB is a cultural hub with something for everyone.

Come and visit the shops, restaurants and cafeterias and the various exhibitions and concerts which make it one of the liveliest venues in Lisbon.