Belem Tower In Portugal: Ultimate Visitor’s Guide


Last Updated on October 13, 2024 by Soumya

Belem Tower, or Torre de Belém, stands on the banks of the River Tagus as a worthy reminder of Portugal’s Age of Discoveries.

Built in the early 16th century, it is a magnificent depiction of Portugal’s Manueline architecture and a witness to years of navigation and maritime success.

Here’s my ultimate guide to Belem Tower in Lisbon, where you will learn

  • All about visiting Belem Tower, including ticket details, opening hours, and tours.
  • Strange Belem Tower facts and intriguing history.
  • Helpful travel tips to make your visit enjoyable.

Visitors from Lisbon to Belem often skip exploring this majestic monument apart from taking pictures from outside. While I agree that the exterior gives you the most unique shots, I must admit that Belem Tower’s interiors are where the real meat is.

If you are a history lover, you cannot miss taking a complete tour of Belem Tower. Plus, the views that you get from the top are mind-blowing.


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Planning to visit Belem Tower in Portugal? Check out this epic Belem Tower Visitor's Guide that has all the details about visiting this iconic UNESCO World Heritage Site in Portugal including details on Belem Tower tickets, prices, and opening hours as well as the best ways to get to Belem Tower.
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Brief History of Belem Tower

The Tower of Belem was built between 1514 and 1520 as a fort to guard the mouth of the River Tagus, which served as the entrance to Lisbon. The lower level housed cannons.

However, the tower was used longer as a state prison than a defense port. Starting in 1589, prisoners were often held in the dungeon at the lower level.

Then, it was used as a customs port in 1655, a telegraph station in 1810, and a lighthouse in 1865.

Belem Tower was built by a military architect, Francisco de Arruda. Arruda had worked on similar projects (several Portuguese fortifications) in Morocco, which is why you will see a lot of Moorish influence at the tower. The domed turrets and arched windows are evident examples.

The tower was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983. Today, it stands as a defining monument of Portuguese maritime prowess.

Pro Tip: The Lisbon Card offers complimentary access to Belem Tower. Get your Lisbon Card here.

Interesting Facts about Belem Tower

Belem Tower in Lisbon Portugal
  • Belem Tower and the Jeronimos Monastery were inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983.
  • The tower is also known as the Castle of St. Vincent. This was, in fact, its original name, given in honor of the patron saint of Lisbon.
  • The tower is built of a special kind of limestone called lioz.
  • There are several levels inside the Belem Tower – each with a unique character.
  • Interesting animal figures, including an Indian rhino, are carved on the external turrets of the Belem Tower. The existence of an exotic creature like the rhino has a fascinating story behind it.
  • Even though the tower was built for defense, it was only fired a few times. For a good part of its life, it was a state prison.
  • The most impressive façade of Belem Tower is its southern façade, facing the river. It was built to impress visitors who arrived at the harbor.

📖 Read Next: 25 Interesting Facts about Lisbon that no one tells you!

What to See at Belem Tower, Portugal?

What’s Outside Belem Tower?

Architecture of Belem Tower with Moorish Influence
The Moorish influence on Belem Tower’s architecture is quite evident.

There are four levels and a hexagonal bastion that projects into the river at the Belem Tower.

The lower bastion, also the dungeon for prisoners, has numerous openings for cannons to fire through. It is plain and simple.

Conversely, the upper bastion is more flamboyant, with Moorish watchtowers decorated with images of exotic animals. One of them is the famed rhinoceros that traveled from India to get here.

From the lower terrace, you can also view the exterior of the Belem Tower, which is beautifully Manueline. Royal and naval motifs are carved into the stone.

Look out for the nautical ropes that adorn every window and arch.

A Gothic statue of the Virgin Mary and Child dominates the scene. Also known as “Our Lady of Safe Homecoming,” she is believed to have ensured the safe return of voyagers.

Once you are done appreciating the bulwark, take a moment to stand and notice the water in front of you. From here, Henry the Navigator, Vasco da Gama, and scores of others sailed out on their voyages of discovery.

Right behind is the neighborhood of Belem, featuring the glorious Jeronimos Monastery and a beautiful marina.

📖 Read Next: How to Plan an Epic Lisbon to Belem Day Trip?

What’s Inside Belem Tower?

Terrace at Belem Tower in Portugal
The Belem Tower terrace where you can get gorgeous views of the city.

The tower has four floors connected by a narrow spiral staircase.

The only way to go up and down is the staircase. Even though there is a traffic light system, the stairs can be a little problematic for people with claustrophobia.

On the ground floor is the lower battery, which houses the Belem Tower’s artillery – 17 cannons. This is also where prisoners were held captive.

As you climb up the stairs, the first room you will visit is the Governor’s Chamber. Nine successive governors lived and worked here between 1517 and 1830.

Next is the King’s Chamber, which features a stone fireplace and a mantelpiece. The most impressive part of this room is the balcony, which gives you sweeping views of the river and the lower terrace.

After climbing some more, you will reach an audience chamber and then a chapel. In the chapel, a panel plays a short video on the monument’s history.

The chapel’s roof or upper terrace is on top, from which you can get stunning views of the River Tagus and the 25th April suspension bridge.

📖 Read Next: 17 Beautiful Places to Visit in Portugal

Belem Tower Tickets

You can buy tickets to the tower onsite or at the Jeronimos Monastery. However, the best way to get them is to purchase them online.

You can buy Belem Tower tickets online on the official website here. But I do not find the official website very useful.

Therefore, I always prefer buying my Belem Tower tickets through Get Your Guide, a reliable 3rd-party vendor which offers competitive prices, an English interface, and offline access to all my tickets.

If you’re planning to spend a few days in Belem and nearby and explore other Lisbon attractions, I recommend getting a Lisbon Card. The Lisbon Card provides free entrance to Belem Tower. I use it every time I visit Lisbon and it saves me a ton of money.

Views from the top of Belem Tower
Gorgeous views from the top of the Belem Tower in Portugal.

Belem Tower Skip-the-line Tickets

You can buy skip-the-line tickets for Belem Tower online here.

However, remember that you have to wait in the same queue as everyone else before getting into the tower, even if you have a Lisbon Card or prepaid ticket.

But, once you’re inside the tower gates, the queue splits into 2 – one for onsite ticket buyers who move on to buy their tickets and another for the skip-the-line tickets purchased online. So, you get to save a fair bit of time here.

The box office ticketing queues are usually really, really long, so it can be a pretty long wait! I highly recommend getting an online ticket for Belem Tower beforehand.

Crowds at Belem Tower

Belem Tower Entrance Fee

Belem Tower Tickets are priced at 8€. There are discounts for seniors, children, and youth.

If you buy the tickets online, you may have to pay a small extra amount as the online transaction fee.

Admission is free for Portuguese residents on Sundays and national holidays. I have heard it is free for everyone only on the 1st Sunday of every month though I am not sure about this.

Belem Tower Opening Hours

Belem Tower opens at 10:00 am and closes at 5:30 pm – last entry at 5:00 pm (Oct – April) and 6:30 pm – last entry at 6:00 pm (May-Sept).

The tower is closed every Monday, Jan 1, May 1, Dec 25, and Easter Sunday.

Gazing out of Belem Tower
Gazing out of Belem Tower and looking at River Tagus.

Best Time to Visit Belem Tower

The best time to visit Belem Tower is early in the morning.

The tower opens at 10 am. Come here an hour earlier to get the best photos of the outside. Crowds are thin at that time, and morning sun rays give you the best photo ops.

Unfortunately, I could only fit Belem Tower at the end of my Belem one-day itinerary. As you can see, I did not get great pictures because the sun was always behind the tower, casting shadows all over it.

Sunset, however is an excellent time for a river cruise over the Tagus.

How to Get to Belem Tower?

Belem Tower is located between the Gardens of Belem and the Tagus River at Avenida da Brasília in the Belem district near Lisbon.

Take Tram 15 from Lisbon to get to Belem Tower. Tram 15 connects central Lisbon with the Belem district.

You can also take Bus 714, 727, and 728 to get to Belem from Lisbon.

You can also drive to Belem Tower from the Lisbon city center. The journey takes around 20 minutes. There are quite a few parking lots nearby but finding a space may be an issue, especially on weekends. Check out the closest parking space here.

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Loved our Belem Tower Visitor’s Guide? Pin it for later!

Planning to visit Belem Tower in Portugal? Check out this epic Belem Tower Visitor's Guide that has all the details about visiting this iconic UNESCO World Heritage Site in Portugal including details on Belem Tower tickets, prices, and opening hours as well as the best ways to get to Belem Tower.


Soumya is an acclaimed travel writer who has traveled to 30+ countries and lived in 8 while pursuing her passion for history and culture. Her writings have been published in BBC Travel, Architectural Digest, National Herald, and many more. She loves exploring world heritage sites and has a deep affinity for everything ancient, especially the lost civilizations of Mesoamerica!

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