Photographer’s Note
Belém Tower, or Torre de Belém, is a 5-storey fortified lighthouse located in the Belém district of Lisbon, Portugal.
It was constructed between 1515 and 1521 on the orders of Manuel I (1515-1520) in order to defend the port at Belém, as well as the nearby Mosteiro dos Jerónimos.
The tower stood on an island in the middle of the River Tagus until the course of the river was diverted by an earthquake in 1777; the tower had previously survived the 1755 Lisbon earthquake.
The Torre de Belém was designed by Diogo and Francisco Arruda in the Manueline style - it is, in fact, Portugal's only example of a purely Manueline building. Among the decorations featured on the tower are Manuel's badge of honour (an armillary sphere) and a cross of the military Order of Christ (the successor organization to the Knights Templar in Portugal), who participated in many Portuguese conquests.
The tower has seen use as a prison, both by Spanish conquerors and by Dom Miguel (1828-1834). In 1807, French troops destroyed the top two storeys, but these were later rebuilt.
Within the tower, visitors can see the dungeons or enter the "whispering gallery", as well as climb up to a 35 m high platform which offers views of the Padrão dos Descobrimentos.
The tower was the departure point for explorers to the rest of the world in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.
Angshu, tjanze, xavshot, emjleclercq has marked this note useful
Critiques | Translate
tjanze
(5674) 2006-03-25 3:14
Hi Christian!
Very good vertical compo of this fantastic arhitecture.I have feeling that todays masters cant make something like this.Good note.
Have a nice weekend.
xavshot
(63125) 2006-03-27 13:14
Bonsoir Christian
tu as eu une belle lumière pour mettre en valeur cette tour. Ta photo fourmille de détails et une fois de plus, la présence de ces personnages est bien vue pour nous donner l'échelle. Belle note également
bonne soirée
Xavier
devimeuxbe
(56334) 2006-03-28 14:51
Hi Christian
Jolie composition avec ce gros plan sur cette vierge à l'enfant et la tour derrière.
C4est une très belle image
BErtrand
vinicio
(22428) 2006-04-03 9:53
Beautiful and interesting image from you Christian, I like the little desaturation without the B&W, and the composition too, well done, compliments.
Ciao
Vinicio
emjleclercq
(14498) 2006-04-17 3:00
Une composition trés original autour de la tourde Belem et une tonalité différente (j'ai cur un moment à du N&B). Le cile est peut être quand même un peu sombre mais néanmoins trés réussi.
Bien cordialement,
Emmanuel
Angshu
(34093) 2006-05-05 3:26
Hi Christian
Excellent architecture shot with clear details. The composition works well here & your note is excellent
Regards
Angshu
Photo Information
-
Copyright: Christian COOPER (gary91)
(15321) - Genre: Places
- Medium: Color
- Date Taken: 2006-03-12
- Categories: Architecture
- Camera: Canon 20D, Canon EF 17-40 f:4 L
- Photo Version: Original Version
- Date Submitted: 2006-03-22 18:50








