Widely visible, and in the form of a ship rising out of the sea, Portugal’s Torre De Belem is a fascinating structure which symbolises the spirit of discovery of its creator, King Manuel I. Here, Byzantine, Venetian, Arabian, and even Indian building elements, combine in monumental Manuelism style.

In order to protect the approaches to Lisbon, canons point threateningly out to sea and its vast cellars were originally used as a means of defence. Massive stone blocks hermetically seal the interior from the outside world. It was here that the discover, Vasco Da Gama, dreamed of distant lands.