Padrão dos Descobrimentos

Constructed in 1940 as an ephemeral monument and integrated in the Portuguese World Exhibition, it recalls Portuguese overseas expansion. Originally made of perishable materials, it possessed a light steel and concrete structure, with a sculpture ensemble made of fibrous plaster. In 1960, marking 500 years from the death of Prince Henry the Navigator, it was rebuilt in concrete, with stonework out of rosal stone from Leiria and sculptures in limestone from Sintra. Isolated, near the river, the exceptional sculptures of Leopoldo de Almeida remind us of a glorious past, embodying the greatness of remarkable figures of the Portuguese discoveries. After an interior remodelling by architect Fernando Ramalho, it was inaugurated as Discoveries Cultural Centre, in 1985, with an auditory, exhibition rooms and an accessible roof. The monument is a viewpoint over the Tejo, where one can enjoy an exceptional panoramic view over Belém, an area that was largely redesigned on the occasion of the 1940 exhibition.