Appreciating the Monument to the Discoveries
Were there any metro station nearby,
Belem district is the place I would visit everyday.
At first I wasn't crazy about it, to be honest.
However, the more passionate I got about Portuguese history,
the more exciting and even mesmerizing I found it.
Among all the must-sees in the Belem district,
one of my favorites is the Monument to the Discoveries(Monumento aos Descobrimentos).
To commemorate Henry the Navigator, it was reconstructed after 500 years of his death.
From the left, there are Henry on top, King Alfonso V and then Vasco Da Gama.
Since they stand side by side majestically, some may think they belong to the same period.
Not true.
King Alfonso V, nephew of Henry, was succeeded by João II, then followed by Manuel I.
Vasco Da Gama served Manuel I and the next king João III.
To appreciate this beautiful monument better,
I strongly recommend checking out the website to see who's who first.
On the east side, not only can you pay respect to Henry and Vasco Da Gama but also admire Bartolomeu Dias and Pedro Alvares Cabral who discovered the Cape of Good Hope and Brazil respectively.
On the west side, Queen Filipa, the mother of Henry with a crown on her head is easy to spot. Henry's brothers Prince Pedro and Prince Fernando are also on this side.
The one in the middle with long sheets of paper, can you guess who that is?
Guessed it right.
The world famous poet LUÍS VAZ DE CAMÕES.
It's fun just appreciating the mastery of sculptures.
But I bet you can enjoy more,
trying to picture and relive the lives of each contributor to the Portuguese glorious past.
And don't forget the Compass Rose decorating the floor of the square.
Travelers from all over the world stand here,
checking where their own country is on the world map
and realize how extensive Portuguese overseas expansion was.
You can explore more on the viewpoint.
The elevator will take you to the 6th floor
and then you have to climb the stairs up to the 7th.
In summer, a long line is expected.
So on the way down, you may have to take the stairs all the way
with all the people wanting to enjoy the panoramic view.
I wanted to let you know should you have a bad knee.
To check out prices and hours, click here.
Here are the views from the top.
On the viewpoint, I felt like reciting one of CAMÕES poems.
So I DID.
Love is a fire that burns unseen,
a wound that aches yet isn’t felt,
an always discontent contentment,
a pain that rages without hurting,
a longing for nothing but to long,
a loneliness in the midst of people,
a never feeling pleased when pleased,
a passion that gains when lost in thought.
It’s being enslaved of your own free will;
it’s counting your defeat a victory;
it’s staying loyal to your killer.
But if it’s so self-contradictory,
how can Love, when Love chooses,
bring human hearts into sympathy?
© Translation: 2006, Richard Zenith
Belem district is the place I would visit everyday.
At first I wasn't crazy about it, to be honest.
However, the more passionate I got about Portuguese history,
the more exciting and even mesmerizing I found it.
Among all the must-sees in the Belem district,
one of my favorites is the Monument to the Discoveries(Monumento aos Descobrimentos).
 |
| The first on the monument is Henry the Navigator. |
From the left, there are Henry on top, King Alfonso V and then Vasco Da Gama.
Since they stand side by side majestically, some may think they belong to the same period.
Not true.
King Alfonso V, nephew of Henry, was succeeded by João II, then followed by Manuel I.
Vasco Da Gama served Manuel I and the next king João III.
 |
| Vasco Da Gama, the famous navigator
António Manuel da Fonseca - Suid-Afrikaanse Geskiedenis in Beeld (1989)
|
To appreciate this beautiful monument better,
I strongly recommend checking out the website to see who's who first.
On the east side, not only can you pay respect to Henry and Vasco Da Gama but also admire Bartolomeu Dias and Pedro Alvares Cabral who discovered the Cape of Good Hope and Brazil respectively.
On the west side, Queen Filipa, the mother of Henry with a crown on her head is easy to spot. Henry's brothers Prince Pedro and Prince Fernando are also on this side.
The one in the middle with long sheets of paper, can you guess who that is?
Guessed it right.
The world famous poet LUÍS VAZ DE CAMÕES.
It's fun just appreciating the mastery of sculptures.
But I bet you can enjoy more,
trying to picture and relive the lives of each contributor to the Portuguese glorious past.
And don't forget the Compass Rose decorating the floor of the square.
 |
| Look at the ship. Portuguese even reached Asia in 1541. |
Travelers from all over the world stand here,
checking where their own country is on the world map
and realize how extensive Portuguese overseas expansion was.
You can explore more on the viewpoint.
The elevator will take you to the 6th floor
and then you have to climb the stairs up to the 7th.
In summer, a long line is expected.
So on the way down, you may have to take the stairs all the way
with all the people wanting to enjoy the panoramic view.
I wanted to let you know should you have a bad knee.
To check out prices and hours, click here.
Here are the views from the top.
 |
| you can see 25th of April Bridge even on a foggy day |
 |
| See some of the Rose Compass on the right side. |
On the viewpoint, I felt like reciting one of CAMÕES poems.
So I DID.
Love is a fire that burns unseen,
a wound that aches yet isn’t felt,
an always discontent contentment,
a pain that rages without hurting,
a longing for nothing but to long,
a loneliness in the midst of people,
a never feeling pleased when pleased,
a passion that gains when lost in thought.
It’s being enslaved of your own free will;
it’s counting your defeat a victory;
it’s staying loyal to your killer.
But if it’s so self-contradictory,
how can Love, when Love chooses,
bring human hearts into sympathy?
© Translation: 2006, Richard Zenith
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