Tower sights in Lisbon
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A
Torre de Belém
Jutting out onto the Rio Tejo, the World Heritage–listed fortress of Torre de Belém epitomises the Age of Discovery. Francisco de Arruda designed the pearly-grey chesspiece in 1515 to defend Lisbon’s harbour and nowhere else is the lure of the Atlantic more powerful. The Manueline show-off flaunts filigree stonework, meringue-like cupolas and – just below the western tower – a stone rhinoceros. The ungulate depicts the one Manuel I sent Pope Leo X in 1515, which inspired Dürer’s famous woodcut. Breathe in to explore the poky former dungeons and climb a narrow spiral staircase to the tower, affording breathtaking views over Belém and the river.
reviewed
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B
Torre Vasco da Gama
Nope, you’re not in Dubai, even if it feels like it gazing up at the 145m-high, concrete-and-steel Torre Vasco da Gama, shaped like the sail of explorer Vasco da Gama’s mighty caravel. The brainchild of architects Leonor Janeiro and Nick Jacobs, the emaciated tower is about to be fed, with plans already under way to convert it into a swish five-star hotel.
reviewed
