| Monument of the Discoveries | |
|---|---|
Padrão dos Descobrimentos | |
 ThePadrão dos Descobrimentos on the edge of theTagus River, as seen along its western profile | |
  Location of the Monument within the municipality of Lisbon | |
| General information | |
| Type | Monument |
| Architectural style | Modern classicism |
| Location | Santa Maria de Belém,Lisbon, Portugal |
| Coordinates | 38°41′36.98″N9°12′20.59″W / 38.6936056°N 9.2057194°W /38.6936056; -9.2057194 |
| Opened | 3 February 1958; 68 years ago (1958-02-03) |
| Owner | Portuguese Republic |
| Technical details | |
| Material | Steel |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Cottinelli Telmo |
| Website | |
| padraodosdescobrimentos | |
TheMonument of the Discoveries (Portuguese:Padrão dos Descobrimentos,Portuguese pronunciation:[pɐˈðɾɐ̃wduʒðɨʃkuβɾiˈmẽtuʃ]) is a monument on the northern bank of theTagus River estuary, in the civil parish ofSanta Maria de Belém,Lisbon. Located along the river where ships departed to explore and trade withIndia andthe Orient, the monument celebrates the PortugueseAge of Discovery (or "Age of Exploration") during the 15th and 16th centuries.
The monument was conceived in 1939 by Portuguese architect José ÂngeloCottinelli Telmo, and sculptorLeopoldo de Almeida, as a temporary beacon during thePortuguese World Exhibition opening in June 1940.[1] The Monument to the Discoveries represented a romanticized idealization of the Portuguese exploration that was typical of theEstado Novo regime ofAntónio de Oliveira Salazar. It was originally constructed as a temporary construction, located in thePraça do Império as part of an urban renewal project favoured by ministerDuarte Pacheco, but with the resistance of Cottinelli Telmo.[1] Yet, by June 1943, the original structure was demolished after the exposition as there was no concrete formalization of the project.[1][2]
On 3 February 1958, in decree No. 41-517, the government, through theMinistério de Obras Publicas (Ministry of Public Works), the Overseas Provinces and the Câmara Municipal of Lisbon, promoted the intent to construct a permanent Monument to the Discoveries.[1] Between November 1958 and January 1960, the new monument was constructed in cement and rose-tinted stone (fromLeiria), and the statues sculpted from limestone excavated from the region ofSintra.[1] The new project was enlarged from the original 1940 model as part of the commemorations to celebrate the fifth centennial of the death ofInfanteHenry the Navigator.[1]
Although the project was based on Cottinelli Telmo's plan, he was replaced after his death by António Pardal Monteiro (as primary architect), and stability studies were completed under the direction of engineers Edgar Cardoso, Ruy Correia and António Franco e Abreu.[1] The interior plan was executed by António Pardal Monteiro, who also worked withLuís Cristino da Silva to plan the monumental square. The northern part of the property was completed by the firm Pardal Monteiro, while the southern area was completed by José Raimundo.[1] The sculptures were modeled by Leopoldo de Almeida, with the assistance of sculptors Soares Branco and António Santos, using models by António Cândido and Carlos Escobar (under the direction of António Branco and Alfredo Henriques).[1]
Inaugurated on 9 August 1960, it was one of several projects nationwide that were intended to mark theComemorações Henriquinas (the celebrations marking the anniversary of the death of Henry the Navigator).[1][3] Yet it was not completely finished until 10 October 1960, being transferred to the responsibility of theAdministração Geral do Porto de Lisboa (General Administration of the Port of Lisbon).Although in 1962, an accord was signed with the Câmara Municipal of Lisbon to transfer its title, between 1960 and 1979 nothing was done with the monument.[1] A document (Despacho No.57/P/79) published in the municipal journal (No. 13260, 5 November 1979) advanced the city's intention to produce a permanent exhibition, but it was only in 1985 that public works completed the cultural centre (Portuguese:Centro Cultural das Descobertas) which inaugurated public access to the top of the structure, in addition to creating spaces for an observation deck, auditorium and hall for exhibitions.In April 2003, the management of the Padrão dos Descobrimentos was placed in the custody of the public company Gestão de Equipamentos e Animação Cultural (EGEAC, E.E.M.).
The structure is located on the northern bank of theTagus River, neighboring the Belém Marina, Algés and Dafundo Nautical Centre, and the Museum of Popular Art (Portuguese:Museu de Arte Popular), and demarcated by stone pedestals witharmillary spheres.[1] Opposite the large square, and across the Avenida da Índia-Avenida de Brasília motorway, is thePraça do Império (Empire Square) which fronts theJerónimos Monastery,Belém Cultural Center and the green-spaces of theJardim Vasco da Gama.
The original structure, which Telmo, Barros and Almeida created, was erected in steel and cement, while the 33 statues were produced in a composite ofplaster andtow. Ostensibly a 56-metre-high (184 ft) slab standing vertically along the bank of the Tagus, the design takes the form of theprow of acaravel (ship used in the early Portuguese exploration). On either side of the slab are ramps that join at the river's edge, with the figure ofHenry the Navigator on its edge. On either side of theInfante, along the ramp, are 16 figures (33 in total) representing figures from the PortugueseAge of Discovery. These great people of the era includedmonarchs,explorers,cartographers,artists,scientists andmissionaries. Each idealized figure is designed to show movement towards the front (the unknown sea), projecting a direct or indirect synthesis of their participation in the events after Henry.
TheSouth African government was responsible for gifting the construction of the square in front of the monument: the 50-metre-diameter (160 ft)Rosa-dos-Ventos (compass rose) was executed using different types oflimestone, including lioz, a rare type of beige limestone found only around Lisbon, more specifically in Sintra.[1][3] Designed by the architect Cristino da Silva, it includes aMappa mundi that is 14 metres wide, showing the routes of Portuguesecarracks and caravels during the Age of Discovery.[1][3]
On the northern façade flanking the staircase are two inscriptions in metal: on the left,"AO INFANTE D. HENRIQVE E AOS PORTVGVESES QVE DESCOBRIRAM OS CAMINHOS DO MAR" (To Prince Lord Henry and the Portuguese that Discovered the Paths of the Sea) over a metal anchor; and, on the right, the words"NO V CENTENÁRIO DO INFANTE D. HENRIQVE 1460 – 1960" (On the Fifth centenary of Prince Lord Henry 1460–1960), over a crown oflaurel.[1] The double staircase ascends one level, before the entranceway to the monument, allowing a perspective on the square and the lateral figures.[1]
The interior consists of three areas: the auditorium with space for 101 people, a stage of 18 square metres (190 sq ft), with film projection booth; a secondary level with two halls for exhibition; and the last level with four rooms.[1] Normally, the auditorium hosts a multimedia exhibition on the history ofLisbon, while the other rooms are used for exhibitions. The top of the monument (reached via a lift or stairs) offers views of the Tagus river, the Belém neighbourhood and its many attractions, including theBelém Tower and theJerónimos Monastery, which date from theAge of Discovery.
In addition to the main statue ofHenry the Navigator, holding a model of acarrack, on either side of the ramps of the monument are a total of 33 figures from the history of the Discoveries, specifically (from left to right):[3]
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