Belém, Lisbon
Belém | |
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Clockwise: Belém National Palace; Belém Tower . | |
Santa Maria de Belém | |
Website | http://jf-belem.pt |
Belém (Portuguese pronunciation:
History
Archaeological evidence discovered along the margins of the Tagus indicates that human occupation in the area of Belém dates to the Paleolithic era.[2][3]
Middle Ages
With the establishment of the Kingdom of Portugal by Afonso III, royal surveys, or inquirições gerais (general inquiries), were made at his command to inspect titles of lands claimed by the nobility and clergy,[4] determined that the population around Lisbon was dispersed throughout the lowlands, which were suitable for agriculture. Consequently, Belém was connected to the neighbouring city by a bridge at Alcântara. Belém's proximity to the River Tagus also encouraged the development of commercial activities in the small village of Aldeia do Restelo, which attracted mariners and other seafarers seeking safe anchorage and protection from the winds when they entered the river. In the 14th century, Moors settled on and cultivated the surrounding lands, providing the city with produce; other Moors, both free and enslaved, worked in the fishing industry. Meanwhile, settlement in Restelo grew slowly towards Lisbon.
It was "to give religious and spiritual support" to the villagers that
Brigantine era
With the restoration of Portuguese independence in 1640, the monastery regained much of its former importance, becoming the burial place for the royal pantheon; within its walls four of the eight children of
The same monarch ordered construction of "a tower of four storeys" (in the words of Damião de Góis) on a basaltic outcropping of rocks in the Tagus near its north bank, using some of the stones being collected to build the Jerónimos Monastery. This was the foundation of the bastion of the Belém Tower (Torre de Belém). After completion of these two construction projects, a number of manors in the surrounding countryside were established by the nobility. As the population continued to slowly grow, the demographics of the suburb changed sufficiently that Friar Nicolau de Oliveira indicated in 1620 that it was within the city limits. New convents appeared in the area, and between 1551 and 1591 (as noted by Vieira da Silva) the civil parish of Ajuda (Nossa Senhora da Ajuda) was created, consisting of a vast territory with clerics installed in the Monastery of Belém.
The Belém district became increasingly popular after King John V acquired estates and properties in the area to develop defenses for Lisbon. Carvalho da Costa noted in his Corografia Portuguesa that "...immediately in front of Junqueira is the locality of Belém, so healthy and appreciable that the naturals and visitors want to live there, and those who for want of comfort can not live [there] are continually competing for that site. In it there are houses, noble estates, nobility, nobles of the first order in the Kingdom; and if the land permitted more palaces or buildings, the city would continue unto that site".
In 1770, during the reign of
Belém and Ajuda were the areas around Lisbon suffering the least destruction in the
During the latter part of the 18th century, the monarchy slowly extricated itself from Belém-Ajuda. In 1794, a fire in Ajuda destroyed the Royal Tent (Tenda Real), forcing the royal family to abandon the location and take residence in the
Belém gradually evolved into an industrial zone, particularly around Pedrouços and Bom Sucesso, attracting factories of various kinds such as
On 28 December 1833, the civil parish of Santa Maria de Belém, including the parish of Ajuda, was institutionalised with its seat in the Jerónimos Monastery. Rapid industrialization began in this period and continued throughout the 19th century; an 1881 inquiry established that 25 factories produced goods in the Alcântara-Belém region, employing 1,215 men, 812 women and 432 minors. The growth attracted many new residents and subsidised housing was constructed to support the manufacturing industry.
Belém subsequently had more autonomy: a separate municipality of Belém actually existed between 11 September 1852 and 18 June 1885, presided over by its first president, the historian
Republic
Belém was also the location for the development of many urban projects, such as the construction of a landfill, opening of many docks or the opening of a rail link to Cascais, which initially departed from Pedrouços. Socially, the first recreational and cultural organizations were established, and the area was a place for leisure activities.
On transitioning into the 20th century, Belém had grown considerably, with the establishment of electrical services within the area and significantly with the
Until 2012, the area of Belém had its own historic parish, named Santa Maria de Belém. In 2012, the Administrative Reform of
Geography
The southwestern limit of the city of Lisbon, Belém is delimited by the
It is bordered by the parishes of
In addition to the historical buildings and avenues, Belém is the location of the Jardim do Ultramar (English: Overseas Garden), several blocks of green-spaces that includes the gardens of the Praça do Império (English: Imperial Garden), the Jardim Vasco da Gama (English: Vasco da Gama Garden), Afonso de Albuquerque Square and Jardim Agricola Tropical (English: Tropical Garden Museum). These gardens cover a large portion of the waterfront area, encircling the buildings of the Rua de Belém, and backs onto the gardens of the Palace of Belém. Also located in Belém is the extreme southwest section of the Monsanto Forest Park.
Architecture
Belém is recognized for its concentration of national monuments and public spaces, including a mixture of historical buildings and modern symbols of Portuguese culture. This juxtaposition of famous icons developed from Belém's important military position along the mouth of the Tagus; its role in the exploration in India and the Far East (the Caminho das Índias); and 17th–18th century construction of royal residences and noble estates in the parish following the destruction stemming from the 1755 earthquake and tsunami.
Belém's main street and historical avenue is Rua de Belém, a strip of 160-year-old buildings that have survived several years of change and modernization. This includes the famous pastry shop Fábrica de Pasteis de Belém known for a specific Portuguese confectionery: pastel de Belém (pl.: pastéis de Belém), an egg tart made with flaky pastry.
In the heart of Belém is the Praça do Império, an avenue of open-spaces and gardens, with a central fountain, which was laid-out during
Belém is home to a number of other museums:
Civic
- Tagus River as part of a defensive system to protect access to the Tagus estuary envisioned by John II of Portugal, it is one of Belém's iconic symbols of the parish. Originally, the Tower of Saint Vincent (Portuguese: Torre de São Vicente), it was elaborated by Manuel I of Portugal (1515–1520) to guard the entrance to the port at Belém. It stood on a little island in right side of the Tagus, surrounded by water.
- Monument to the Discoveries ( square in the form of a map, showing the routes of various Portuguese explorers, during the Age of Discovery.
- Thai Pavilion (Sala Thai) - Located inside Vasco Da Gama Garden, a gift from the Royal Thai Government honoring the 500th anniversary of the establishment of the bilateral relations between Thailand and Portugal. The Pavilion was inaugurated by her Royal Highness the Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn and the Mayor of Lisbon, Mr. Antonio Costa on 21 February 2012.[11] Built in Bangkok, the monument was shipped to Lisbon following the same route of Portuguese navigator-diplomat Duarte Fernandes in 1511. The monument reaffirms the diplomatic relations between Thailand and Portugal; Thailand's oldest alliance with a European nation. The red and golden structure is inspired by the Jeronimos Monastery, but follows Thai traditions such as assembly without the use of any metal, nails, or screws, and a roof covered with motifs resembling a dragon's scales. Being only one of four similar structures found outside Thailand, the Sala Thai is one of the most singular monuments in Lisbon.[12]
Religious
- Museu da Marinha(Maritime Museum) within its walls.
References
- Notes
- ^ Instituto Nacional de Estatística (INE), Census 2011 results according to the 2013 administrative division of Portugal
- ISBN 978-1-4387-7536-4.
- ISBN 978-0-85771-441-1.
- ISBN 978-1-136-77518-5.
- ^ Portugal. Arquivo Histórico Militar (1986). Boletim do Arquivo Histórico Militar. p. 15.
A aldeia do Restelo, erguida posteriormente à criação do surgidouro, devia situar-se acima da igreja que o infante mandou construir e do mosteiro de Belém
- ISBN 978-0-19-162525-1.
- ^ a b Nuno Senos (2003), p.103
- ^ Nuno Senos (2003), p.105
- ^ Nuno Senos (2003), p.107
- ^ "List of the new parishes of Lisbon" (PDF). Diário de Noticias newspaper (in Portuguese). Retrieved 27 October 2013.
- ^ Sala Thai. 2012. Vasco Da Gama Garden, Portugal.
- ^ "Thailand in Portugal • Gail at Large". 9 July 2014.
- Sources
- Encyclopædia Britannica Standard Edition CD ROM, 2002.
- Hancock, Matthew (2003), The Rough Guide to Lisbon, London, England: Rough Guides Ltd, ISBN 1-85828-906-8
- Weimer, Alois; Weimer-Langer, Britta (2000), Portugal, Basingstoke, England: GeoCenter International Ltd., ISBN 3-8297-6110-4
- Senos, Nuno (2003). "A Coroa e a Igreja na Lisboa de Quinhentos" [The Crown and the Church in 1500 Lisbon] (PDF) (in Portuguese). Lusitania Sacra. pp. 97–117. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 November 2011. Retrieved 23 June 2011.
External links
- Blog de Santa Maria de Belém, a blog maintained by the Junta Freguesia de Belém
- Um pastel em Belém, a blog maintained by a local user