Author: Clint Swift

The Jeronimos Monastery struck me as one of the most impressive religious structures I’d seen in 50 years of European travel. The city tourist office calls Jeronimos Monastery the most prestigious place of worship in Lisbon. The monastery was begun in 1502, partly to commemorate the naval achievements of Vasco da Gama, who had established…

Lisbon is situated on the northern banks of the Tagus River, the longest river (626 miles) on the Iberian Peninsula. The river has impacts on the city from end to end. The river’s mouth is a large estuary near the city, supplying Lisbon with a fine natural harbor. For about a mile along the Tagus,…

Not a park — a city street. The Avenida da Liberdade (Avenue of Liberty) has long been considered the heart of Lisbon and its most prestigious address. This is part of a long “park” that runs down the middle of a major avenue, Avenida Liberdade, multi-laned on both sides. Lisbon residents commonly refer to the…

The ornate Belem Tower made UNESCO’s list of World Heritage Sites in 1983. Like many of the historical buildings of modern Lisbon, construction of the Belem Tower is related to the age of the great geographical discoveries. The tower was built in the 16th Century to reinforce defenses on the shores of the Tagus River.…

Lisbon’s Maritime Museum was created to honor Portugal’s naval achievements, starting from the 15th Century, the age of the great geographical discoveries. The museum is the western wing (left in the photo) of the Jeronimos Monastery, but it was built 350 years after the start of the monastery. The Maritime Museum (also referred to as…

The Monument to the Discoveries memorializes the age of the great geographical discoveries, when Portugal dominated sea trade among the continents. From the perspective of many non-Europeans, the Age of Discovery marked the arrival of invaders from previously unknown continents. The monument, 165 feet high, memorializes the period from the 15th Century to the middle…

Lisbon is built on seven hills. St. George Castle is an 11th Century Moorish castle and palace ruins that sits on the Alfama hilltop, overlooking Lisbon center. After a 4-mile subway ride from our hotel, we surfaced at the broad, patterned Commerce Square, from which we could see St. George Castle above on the highest…