{"id":17674,"date":"2024-09-12T14:54:36","date_gmt":"2024-09-12T14:54:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ulysses.travel\/padrao-dos-descobrimentos-lisbon\/"},"modified":"2024-09-12T15:02:33","modified_gmt":"2024-09-12T15:02:33","slug":"padrao-dos-descobrimentos-lisbon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ulysses.travel\/en\/padrao-dos-descobrimentos-lisbon\/","title":{"rendered":"The Padr\u00e3o dos Descobrimentos in Lisbon"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Nestled along the banks of the Tagus River, the Padr\u00e3o dos Descobrimentos (Monument to the Discoveries) celebrates the golden age of Portuguese history, paying tribute to the 15th and 16th-century explorers in grand fashion. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Follow the guide! <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Overview:<\/strong>
A Brief History of the Padr\u00e3o dos Descobrimentos<\/a>
Visiting the Monument<\/a>
Practical Information<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\ud83d\udca1 Insider<\/strong> Tips<\/strong> \ud83d\udca1<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u2b50 Top Tip<\/strong>: Free guided tour of the capital<\/a><\/mark><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\ud83d\udca4 Accommodation:<\/strong> selection of value-for-money accommodation. <\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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A Brief History of Lisbon\u2019s Padr\u00e3o dos Descobrimentos
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1940<\/strong>
The First Version of the Monument<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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The first, temporary version of the Padr\u00e3o dos Descobrimentos<\/strong> was conceived by architect Jos\u00e9 Angelo Cottinelli Telmo and sculptor Leopoldo de Almeida for the 1940 Portuguese World Exhibition<\/em>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

At that time, Portugal was under the rule of a conservative and nationalist regime<\/strong> , the Estado Novo<\/em> led by Salazar, which governed from 1933 to 1974. This regime leaned heavily on the country\u2019s glorious past<\/strong>, especially the era of the great discoveries, as a means of fostering national pride. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The original Padr\u00e3o dos Descobrimentos was made from plaster, <\/em>iron, and cement and was dismantled after the exhibition.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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1960<\/strong>
The Second Version of the Monument<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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In the late 1950s, to mark the 500th anniversary of the death of Henry the Navigator<\/strong>, the Portuguese government commissioned a permanent version of the Padr\u00e3o dos Descobrimentos.<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Inaugurated in 1960, <\/strong>this new Padr\u00e3o dos Descobrimentos was constructed from cement, rose-hued stone from Leiria, and limestone from Sintra<\/strong>\u2014the same materials used to build the nearby Bel\u00e9m Tower and the Jer\u00f3nimos Monastery.<\/em> <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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1985<\/strong>
Renovation Work<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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In 1985,<\/strong> architect Fernando Ramalho spearheaded major renovations to the monument.<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This included the addition of a panoramic observation deck, as well as a small auditorium and exhibition spaces<\/strong>. Today, these areas host the Discoveries Cultural Center, featuring both permanent and temporary exhibits dedicated to the history of Portuguese exploration. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Visiting the Padr\u00e3o dos Descobrimentos in Lisbon<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Head to the banks of the Tagus River, just steps from the Bel\u00e9m Tower<\/a> and Jer\u00f3nimos Monastery<\/a>, and you\u2019ll spot the towering silhouette of the Monument to the Discoveries\u2014it\u2019s impossible to miss! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\ud83e\udd13 What exactly is a “Padr\u00e3o”?<\/strong> \ud83e\udd13<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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You might have noticed that the Monument to the Discoveries is called the Padr\u00e3o dos Descobrimentos in Portuguese. But why padr\u00e3o<\/em> instead of the usual monumento? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Well, a padr\u00e3o<\/em> was a stone pillar, often topped with a cross and\/or the Portuguese coat of arms, which explorers would erect on newly discovered lands to claim them for Portugal.<\/em> <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Over time, the padr\u00e3o<\/em> became a symbol of Portuguese exploration and the Age of Discoveries. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Exterior of the Monument to the Padr\u00e3o dos Descobrimentos<\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A Brief Description<\/em><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Standing proudly along the Tagus River,<\/em> the Padr\u00e3o dos Descobrimentos is an awe-inspiring sight <\/p>\n\n\n\n

with its towering height of 56 meters (184 ft) . The monument is shaped like the bow of a caravel\u2014the large sailing ships used by Portuguese explorers to chart unknown waters. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Three massive arches evoke the sails of these legendary Portuguese ships, and on either side of the monument, two ramps lined with 32 statues (16 on each side) lead up to the bow. At the very front stands a statue of Prince Henry the Navigator, holding a model of a caravel in his hands. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 32 statues honor significant figures from the Age of Discoveries, including navigators, explorers, cartographers, kings, writers, and poets. Among them, you might recognize renowned figures like Vasco da Gama, Ferdinand Magellan, Bartolomeu Dias, and the poet Lu\u00eds de Cam\u00f5es. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the north fa\u00e7ade, flanking the staircase, you\u2019ll find two inscriptions: <\/p>\n\n\n\n