Padrão dos Descobrimentos, Lisbon

The Padrão dos Descobrimentos, located in the historic Belém district of Lisbon, Portugal, stands as a grand tribute to the Age of Discoveries when Portuguese explorers ventured into unknown seas, establishing trade routes and colonies. This imposing monument, shaped like a ship's prow, was inaugurated in 1960 to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the death of Prince Henry the Navigator, a central figure in the early days of the Portuguese maritime discoveries.

Carved from limestone and rising to 52 meters in height, the Padrão dos Descobrimentos dominates the shoreline of the Tagus River. The western profile of the monument proudly displays a sword-wielding Prince Henry at its tip, followed by a procession of 32 figures from the 15th and 16th centuries. These figures represent the navigators, cartographers, scientists, and artists who played a role in the Portuguese exploration, including such luminaries as Vasco da Gama and Ferdinand Magellan.

Visitors to the Padrão dos Descobrimentos can explore a museum within the monument that details Portugal's exploratory history, as well as an exhibition space that hosts cultural events related to the Age of Discoveries. A panoramic rooftop terrace offers sweeping views over the Tagus River, the Belém Tower, and the Jerónimos Monastery, providing a visual connection to other landmarks of Portugal's golden era of exploration.

At the foot of the monument, a giant marble wind rose and a world map embedded in the pavement illustrate the global reach of Portuguese voyages, with the routes taken by explorers etched into the stone. This feature, a gift from South Africa, adds an interactive dimension to the monument, allowing visitors to literally walk across the history of the Portuguese discoveries.