Facts About the Belém Tower:
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Belém Tower or the Tower of St Vincent is a fortified tower in Lisbon, Portugal.
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The Belém Tower was added on 7 July 2007 to the registry of the Seven Wonders of Portugal.
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The Belem Tower was Granted World Heritage Status by UNESCO, In 1983.
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The fortress was named: Castelo de São Vicente de Belém, honoring the patron saint of Lisbon.
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The structure was built from lioz limestone and is composed of a bastion and a 30-meter, four-story tower.
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The building was finished in 1519, just two years before Manuel’s death, and Gaspar de Paiva was temporarily stationed to command the fortress.
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Belém Tower was commissioned by King John II.
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Dungeons of the tower were used as a prison until 1830.
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The architect, Francisco de Arruda, had previously worked on Portuguese fortifications in Morocco, so there are also Moorish-style watchtowers and other Moorish influences.
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The tower was built on a small island in the Tagus River near the Lisbon shore, now sits near the shore because the river was redirected after the 1755 Lisbon earthquake.