Spreading out along the right bank of the Tagus, its downtown, the Baixa, is located in the 18th-century area around Rossio. East of the arcade Praça do Comércio, are the medieval quarters of Alfama and Mouraria, crowned by the magnificent St. George's Castle. To the west lie Bairro Alto and Madragoa, with their typical streets, and on the western extreme is Belém, with its Belém Tower, (the sentinel over the Tagus river that protects the entrance into Lisbon), the Jerónimos Monastery (masterpieces of Manueline architecture and classified in UNESCO's International Heritage list) and the Cultural Center of Belém.

Jeronimos Monastery
A World Heritage monument; Vasco da Gama's resting place

The Jeronimos Monastery is the most impressive symbol of Portugal's power and wealth during the Age of Discovery. King Manuel I built it in 1502 on the site of a hermitage founded by Prince Henry the Navigator, where Vasco da Gama and his crew spent their last night in Portugal in prayer before leaving for India.
This style of architecture became known as Manueline, a style of art that served to glorify the great discoveries of the age.

Belem Tower
Lisbon's icon; a symbol of the Age of Discovery

Built in 1515 as a fortress to guard the entrance to Lisbon's harbor, the Belem Tower was the starting point for many of the voyages of discovery, and for the sailors it was the last sight of their homeland.
It is a monument to Portugal's Age of Discovery, often serving as a symbol of the country, and UNESCO has listed it as a World Heritage monument.

Calouste Gulbenkian Museum
Outstanding collection from the East and the West

Northeast of Eduardo VII Park is the Gulbenkian Museum, one of the world's great museums and one of Europe's unsung treasures. Part of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, it houses a magnificent collection of Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Islamic, Asian, and European art. It was substantially renovated and modernized in 2001 and can't be missed during a visit to Lisbon.

Castle of St. George
Overlooking the city from millennium-old walls

Saint George's Castle can be seen from almost everywhere in the city. Its oldest parts date from the 6th century, when it was fortified by the Romans, Visigoths, and eventually the Moors. It served as a Moorish royal residence until Portugal's first king Afonso Henriques captured it in 1147 with the help of northern European crusaders on their way to the Holy Land. It was then dedicated to St. George, the patron saint of England, commemorating the Anglo-Portuguese pact dating from 1371, and became the royal palace until another one (that was destroyed in the Great Earthquake) was built in today's Comercio Square.

Comercio Square

Lisbon's monumental riverside square
This vast waterfront square also known as Terreiro do Paחo or "the palace's square," is where the royal palace stood for over two centuries until 1755, when its was destroyed by the Great Earthquake.
On the north side is a triumphal arch and one of the city's legendary cafes, Cafי Martinho da Arcada.
In the center of the square is a statue of King Jose I showing him on horseback, wearing his emperor's mantle, and measuring 14 meters in height counting from the pedestal.

We hope to see you here this January!