Welcome to the Belem Tower, a UNESCO World Heritage Site! On behalf of the Book N Tour Team, we hope that you enjoy this audio guide. No trip to Lisbon would be complete without a visit to the Belem Tower!
In this audiotour, you can discover the fascinating history of one of Lisbon's most iconic monuments: over 500 years of a striking site molded by the proximity to the sea and the influence of the discoveries of the new world.
During the 15th and 16th centuries, the discoveries made by the Portuguese transformed Lisbon into one of the biggest trade hubs of the World. King Joao II created a defense plan to protect the city through the Tagus River by building two towers (S. Sebastião da Caparica and Santo António at Cascais). This, along with the construction of the Tower of Belem built in the times of King Manuel I, allowed Lisbon to have full protection towards the ships of the enemy.
Condensing over 500 years into a single visit might seem like a colossal task, but it really isn't. We have split the tour into 13 stops, each of which focuses on a different part of the tower, architecture and its history.