Monument to the Discoveries

Known as the Padrão dos Descobrimento, this colossal nineteen sixties monument on the banks of the Tagus celebrates the 15th and 16th century heroes of the Golden Age of Discovery. You can go inside the building and take an elevator, or walk up to the top of the 52 metre concrete edifice shaped to resemble the prow of a ship. A temporary version of this imposing monument was commissioned under the dictator Salazar’s regime in time for the Portuguese World Fair in 1940; the current monument was not built until 1960.

This type of monument, intended to glorify the Portuguese past, was typical during the time of Salazar. The oversized frieze shows Henry the Navigator looking out from the prow over the river, followed on both sides by famous discoverers such as Vasco da Gama, Pedro Álvares Cabral and Ferdinand Magalhães. Views of the river from the open top are spectacular; you can also see the stone mosaic world map and compass rose (given by South Africa) laid out in the square below, and the Torre de Belem, CCB and the Mosteiro dos Jerónimos.

Avenida Brasil. Tel: 21 303 1950. Open daily from May to September from 10:00 to 19:00 and from October to April daily from 10:00 to 18:00, except for Mondays.