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Culture of Lisbon. Places to visit - old town, temples, theaters, museums and palaces
Lisbon presents a great variety of sights of tourist interest among which one will find as ancient so architectonic constructions of modern art, picturesque squares and parks, established hundreds of years ago. Belem Tower (or the Tower of St Vincent) or Torre de Belem is located on the high hill performing an amazing panoramic view of the city-scapes. The tower was erected in the beginning of the 16th century and served as a light house for sailors but in the beginning of the 19th century the tower was totally destroyed by the Napoleon’s Army. Today the tower is one of the most amazing constructions of the city. The tower is decorated with tracery balconies, unusual elements in form of ship ropes and crenellated walls executed in Arabian style.
Local people are rather hot tempered and thus their behavior may seem rather strange to foreign visitors. Peculiar to city folks deliberateness in everything is often approached by visitors … 
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Lisbon presents to its visitors fantastic Aquarium which is annually visited by thousands of admiring tourists. The Aquarium presents a great variety of sea world inhabitant. Captivating … Open
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The capital of Portugal boasts a countless number of religious attractions, and each one is worth mentioning. Unremarkable at first glance, the shrine of Igreja de São Roque is striking with its interior decoration, as well as peaceful atmosphere. It is noteworthy in that it is the first church in Portugal and the first Jesuit Cathedral in the world. For more than two hundred years, the temple was the main church in the country. Also, this is one of the buildings that survived an earthquake that happened in 1755. The shrine was built at the end of the 16th century according to the design of by Alvares brothers (Afonso and Bartholomew).
1. Setting out to Lisbon you should be surely backed up with a pair of comfortable shoes. The reason is that the city is placed on seven hills that is why hiking through the wind streets is … Open
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Another church - Igreja de São Domingos built in 1241 - is interesting for its tragic history: it was here that the Lisbon massacre began in 1506. More than four thousand people were killed after that. Earlier, this church received kings - they were baptized, crowned and married here. But everything has changed after the massacre: from that point on, all things were ruled by the Inquisition that read out sentences in the church. The church has suffered three times: during the earthquakes of 1531 and 1755, as well as during the fire of 1959. Lisbon has some non-standard shrines like Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Rosário de Fátima, which looks like anything but a church. Besides Christian churches, you can find a Muslim mosque - Mesquita Central de Lisboa. It was built in 1985, due to which it has a rather modern look.
Lisbon offers many attractive non-touristy places, a visit to which will help to understand the culture of local people better and make any vacation much more original. Want to plunge into … Open
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A regular walk in a park can safely be replaced by a walk through Prazeres Cemetery, which is a “city within the city” with its streets and attractions in the form of beautifully decorated tombstones and crypts. Those who still prefer walking in parks will certainly find some beautiful scenic spots in Lisbon - a garden of the Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian Museum, Parque Eduardo VII, as well as Jardim Botânico d'Ajuda. The latter is located on the territory of the Palácio Nacional da Ajuda, a magnificent building rising on the site of a royal palace destroyed by the 1755 earthquake. The ruined building was erected in the Baroque style, and the present one was completed in 1802 in the Neoclassic style. The building became the permanent residence of the Portuguese monarchs again only in 1861 when the interior was completely restored.
Lisbon is famous for its modern shopping centers, including Armazens do Chiado located on one of the main streets of the historic district. It is attractive for its designer and jewelry … Open
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In addition to the above, the capital of Portugal presents several more good museums, thanks to which acquaintance with local culture and history will be very fruitful. These include the Museu Nacional do Azulejo where you can learn all about the traditional Portuguese Azulejo ceramic tilework and the manufacture of ceramic products. The Museu Nacional de Etnologia will acquaint visitors with the peoples who inhabited the country at one time or another, and the Teatro Romano tells about the ancient Roman times in the history of the city. Of interest to tourists is the Museu Nacional de História Natural e da Ciência that occupies an architecturally beautiful building. Here you can learn a lot of new information about species evolution and scientific inventions.
Discovering the architecture of Lisbon from bird's eye view! Jeronimos Monastery, Castle of Sao Jorge, Santo Antonio Church, Lisbon Oceanarium, Santa Justa Lift, Triumphal Arch, all those monuments are defining the image of Lisbon … Open
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Some other must-visit facilities in the Portuguese capital include the Museu Arqueológico do Carmo that is of special interest to archeology and history buffs, the Museu do Combatente introducing tourists to military equipment and the period of the country's colonial wars, as well as the Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga that has gathered an invaluable collection of jewelry, interior items, paintings created in ancient times. Those wishing to find out more about the military history of Portugal will spend exciting hours in the Guarda Nacional Republicana, and fans of mystical places will appreciate the Hospital de Bonecas - its building is nothing but a doll repair workshop. Many of the dolls look pretty creepy. Those who prefer more traditional toys should visit another museum - the Museu da Marioneta where a huge collection of toys is on display.
National Pantheon, Belem Tower, Monastery of Sao Vicente de Fora, Lisbon Cathedral, Estrela Basilica, MEO Arena, as well as many others, they all become the world's cultural heritage objects and remain as iconic monuments for Lisbon … Open
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City tours, excursions and tickets in Lisbon and surroundings
Plan your own excursion through Lisbon: churches, museums and castles
Jeronimos Monastery, Lisbon
Location on the map: 
Facts:
» Jeronimos is the monastery founded by Henry the Navigator in 1450. The building of the monastery is a grandiose monument to late-Manueline style of Portuguese architecture. Facts:» The Jeronimos is protected by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site of mankind.
» The monastery is inextricably associated with the Age of Discovery. Vasco da Gama and his companions spent there the night in prayer before sailing towards India.
» King Manuel I and Joao III are buried in the monastery, as well as Vasco da Gama, Camoes and Fernando Pessoa.
» Since 1903 the western wing of the monastery has being housing the National Archaeological Museum.
Castle of Sao Jorge, Lisbon
Location on the map: Facts:
» The Castle of Sao Jorge is the fortress located on a high hill; it’s visible from almost anywhere in the city. Facts:» The castle has long served as a royal residence until the 16th century, when the Ribeira Palace was built.
» The Castle of Sao Jorge at different times was used as a theater, a prison and an arsenal. The earthquake of 1755 turned the castle in ruins.
» In 1938, active reconstruction of the castle began, in which the medieval wall restored, and the park with monuments to the Great King Afonso I and Manuel I was laid out.
» Today the castle is open for visitors who could climb the tower and enjoy breathtaking view of the city. The castle has interesting multimedia exhibition about the history of Lisbon.
Discoverers Monument, Lisbon
Facts:
» The Discoverers monument is dedicated to the outstanding figures of the Portuguese Age of Discovery. » The height of the monument is 52 meters.
» The model of the monument was created in 1940, but the latter was opened only in 1960.
» The monument is a caravel of white limestone with the figure of the mastermind of the Portuguese geographical discoveries, Henry the Navigator, on the snout. He is surrounded with 32 other important personalities of the Age of Discovery, including monarchs, explorers, cartographers, artists, scientists and missionaries.
» Everybody can get inside the monument via elevator or climbing a height of 52 meters, where you can admire spectacular views.
Monastery of Sao Vicente de Fora, Lisbon
Location on the map: Facts:
» Sao Vicente de Fora is the monastery founded in 1147 by the first king of Portugal, Afonso I the Great. Facts:» The monastery is dedicated to Vicente of Saragossa, the patron saint of Lisbon, an early Christian martyr.
» The monastery church in its current form was built in 1582-1629 years, while other buildings were completed only in the 18th century.
» All the kings of Braganza Dynasty, except two, are buried in the crypt of the monastery.
» All visitors can climb to the roof terrace and admire the magnificent views at the National Pantheon, Alfama and the Tagus River.
Monastery of Carmelites, Lisbon
Facts:
» The Carmelite Monastery is the medieval Gothic monastery, which was built in 1389-1423 by the Portuguese knight Nuno Alvares Pereira for the Carmelite Order. » Long ago, the Carmelite Monastery has been the main church of Lisbon; with its dimensions it was second only to the Lisbon cathedral.
» During an earthquake and fire in 1755, the monastery was almost destroyed; only heavy altar pieces have preserved. Reconstruction of the monastery has begun, but in 1834 the work was interrupted.
» As a result, it was decided not to rebuild the ruined church in the future, but just to leave it under the open sky. The arches of the buildings were mostly destroyed; pointed arches support parts of the surviving walls.
» Residential part of the monastery in 1836 was signed off to army, and the remains of the church were moved to the archaeological museum.
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What to visit during two-day excursion in Lisbon
Castelo De São Jorge
Where: Castelo de São Jorge, Lisbon; Telephone: +351 218 800 620;
Where: Castelo de São Jorge, Lisbon; Telephone: +351 218 800 620;
Mosteiro Dos Jerónimos
Where: Praça do Império, Belém, Lisbon; Telephone: +351 213 620 034;
Where: Praça do Império, Belém, Lisbon; Telephone: +351 213 620 034;
Museu Do Azulejo
Where: Rua da Madre de Deus 4, Lisbon; Telephone: +351 218 100 340;
Where: Rua da Madre de Deus 4, Lisbon; Telephone: +351 218 100 340;
Fundação Gulbenkian
Where: Avenida de Berna 45, Lisbon; Telephone: +351 217 823 000;
Where: Avenida de Berna 45, Lisbon; Telephone: +351 217 823 000;
Reference information
Map of all palaces
Public palaces near Lisbon
♥ Palace 'Palácio da Rosa' , 0.2 km from the center. On the map
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♥ Palace 'Palácio de Sant’ana' , 0.5 km from the center. On the map
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♥ Palace 'Palácio Vila Flor' , 0.8 km from the center. On the map
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♥ Palace 'Bemposta Palace' , 0.8 km from the center. On the map
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♥ Palace 'Palácio Ludovice' , 1 km from the center. On the map
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♥ Palace 'Sotto Mayor Palace' , 1.8 km from the center. On the map
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♥ Palace 'São Bento Palace' , 2 km from the center. On the map
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Map of all art museums
Art galleries in Lisbon and around
♥ Art museum 'Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga' Lisbon, 2.8 km from the center. On the map
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♥ Art museum 'Museu Calouste Gulbenkian' Lisbon, 2.9 km from the center. On the map
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♥ Art museum 'Museu Colecção Berardo' Lisbon, 7 km from the center. On the map
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Map of all churches
Cathedrals and basilicas near Lisbon
♥ Igreja da Memória, Ajuda, 6.2 km from the center. On the map
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♥ Mosteiro dos Jerónimos, Lisboa, 6.7 km from the center. On the map
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♥ Sé Catedral de Nossa Senhora da Assunção, Funchal, 15.8 km from the center. On the map
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♥ Sé Catedral de Santa Maria da Graça, Setúbal, 30.2 km from the center. On the map
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♥ Sé Catedral de Nossa Senhora da Conceição, Santarém, 69.6 km from the center. On the map
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Photogallery of cultural heritage of Lisbon
Landmarks of culture on Lisbon map: art-galleries, monuments, palaces, etc
Culture guide to Lisbon. Which fascinating sights to visit once you are in Lisbon: temples, churches, museums, theaters and castles. Recommendations (with addresses, phone numbers and links) on the places 'must visit' in Lisbon. Plan your own city excursion by using this page info!
