Over 15,000 visit Lisbon’s iconic Belém Tower since major renovation

More than 15,000 people visited the Belém Tower in Lisbon during the first three weeks since its reopening to the public, after major renovation works.

The number of visitors recorded since May 27 was announced by state-owned organisation Museus e Monumentos de Portugal (MMP), which states on its website that this reflects “the cultural and heritage significance” of the 16th century monument, which has been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1983 – and is considered one of the main symbols of the Portuguese capital.

The monument reopened after a year of work carried out under the Plan for Recovery and Resilience (PRR), and involving an investment of approximately €1 million..

MMP director Margarida Donas Botto explains that the Manueline tower has been “refreshed” and is now “gleaming inside and out”.

Botto also highlighted restoration of the characteristic lustre of the lioz stone – the material used in the tower’s construction – the cleaning of which has restored the monument to its “original splendour”.

Work carried out included the consolidation and cleaning of stone surfaces, the refurbishment of window frames, structural reinforcement and the modernisation of technical and electrical systems. It was the first major restoration since 1998.

The tower’s reopening was accompanied by the introduction of a new visitor management system, based on pre-booked entry slots, with the aim of enhancing people’s experience, and ensuring the monument’s preservation.

The system sets a maximum of 60 admissions every half hour – with a daily limit of around 900 visitors, thereby reducing pressure on the interior spaces, particularly the spiral staircase connecting the tower’s various floors.

According to Margarida Donas Botto, the change is intended to address the long queues that used to form before the tower closed for renovation work, when many visitors were exposed to the weather for long periods and, in some cases, were ultimately unable to enter. There were also odd cases where people were left behind…

Botto also argues that the slight reduction in daily capacity stems from safety and heritage conservation concerns – considering it essential to ensure the future sustainability of a monument that receives over 400,000 visitors annually.

The possibility of offering evening visits is being considered as a way of diversifying the offering to the public, she added.

Located on the north bank of the river Tagus, the Belém Tower was built in the early 16th century as a defensive structure at the mouth of the river and is one of the most recognisable symbols of Portuguese maritime expansion.

Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983, alongside the Jerónimos Monastery, it remains one of the country’s most visited monuments and one of the capital’s main cultural and tourist attractions.

Source: Lusa

Natasha Donn

Journalist for the Portugal Resident.