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Belem Tower. Lisboa. Portugal

THE TOWER THAT LAUNCHED A THOUSAND SHIPS ... AND BROUGHT BACK SPICES                                                            THE BEGINNING OF PORTUGUESE GASTRONOMIC HISTORY BEGINS HERE.  It is for this reason Spago has adapted its image in our corporate identity.

Food & Wine.  Give it to the Portuguese, its Western European ports of Lisbon launched ships & enabled the great navigators to discover our Modern World, putting the Portuguese on the map as some of the Greatest Discoverers of all time.                                                                                                                                                                                  So why is it 2009 we have nothing to show for it?  Count on the Portuguese, whose passion and discerning taste buds lead to trading our riches for spices from the Indies, Goa & Africa.  But spices are not all. Due to long voyages also came the discovery of port wine. During the 17th Century when the British declared war on France and blockaded their ports, there was an obvious shortage of wine. With this came the Treaty with Portugal.  During the long voyage to the British Ports, the Portuguese began adding buckets Brandy to regular wine  to stabilize it during the long Sea Journey. From there came Port wine.

HISOTRY OF THE TOWER

The Tower of Belém stands on the former beach at Restelo, point of departure for naus and caravels on voyages to discover the Oceans.

On the banks of the River Tagus, the Tower of Belém stands as a symbol of the Portuguese Discoveries and the foundation of the Modern Age. For this reason, UNESCO has added it to the list of World Heritage sites.

Lisbon was once the capital of an immense maritime empire, symbolized by this monument. To our eyes, it’s an historic building of carved stone, but to its contemporaries it was an awesome stronghold at the entrance to the Tagus, creating crossfire with a fortress on the opposite bank.

Although commissioned by King Manuel I in the 16th Century, the square tower is reminiscent of old medieval castles.
 
At the time, the fortress was the most modern of designs; with open cannon emplacements at sea level ready for firing at the enemy.

In the 19th Century, symbols of Manueline art were added to the tower, such as shields with the Cross of the Order of Christ, twisted ropes in stone and armillary spheres.

Facing the river at the top of the fortress, you feel like you’re in the bows of a ship, with magnificent views over the Tagus.
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