People usually do not fly off to Lisbon for its sights. It's not that the city lacks attractiveness. With its whitewashed houses topped with red roofs, fragrant orange trees, and colorful bougainvillea, the city is beautiful in a romantic, rustic way. Lisbon, however, is better known for its vibe. The city takes pleasure in appreciating and celebrating life and its rich culture. This much is apparent to anyone who visits the city. Beyond its beautiful music, its electrifying nightlife, and its delicious cuisine, however, Lisbon also boasts attractions that reminisce the city's history. While they may not be as famous as the ruins of Greece or the mosques and churches of Istanbul, Lisbon's architecture is equally splendid and its museums display the most fascinating relics and artifacts from all over the world.
Heralded as one of the oldest in the world and today a thriving European city in the Iberian Peninsula, old Lisbon played a huge part in the history of the world. From the 15 th to the 17 th centuries, during the Age of Discovery, Portugal pioneered in the sea explorations of Asia, Africa, and the Americas. It was also instrumental in the mapping of the entire world. It was in Lisbon where all of Portugal's exploration ships sailed off from and it was Lisbon that greeted the ships that were coming back from their long voyage, carrying with them treasures from everywhere. Many of the city's attractions reflect its role in the explorations.
One of this westernmost European capital's treasures is its beautiful and eclectic architecture. Romanesque, Gothic, Baroque, Modern, and Post-modern structures that were built in different times in history adorn the city like splendid flowers in a beautiful garden.
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Due to its rich history and the pivotal role Portugal played in the Age of Discovery, many of Lisbon's buildings are magnificent and elaborate. The world's most expensive chapel, the São Roque Church, is one such building. While this church's façade is plain and uninteresting, its inside is elaborately decorated with ivory, gold, silver, and other expensive materials that were shipped in from Rome as well as meticulously designed mosaics and a ceiling painted with the scenes from the Apocalypse. Its interiors make this church one of the finest examples of European art.
Perhaps two of the most famous buildings in Lisbon are the Jeronimos Monastery, where renowned explorer Vasco da Gama is buried, and the Belen Tower, where many Portuguese explorer ships sailed off from during the Age of Discovery. These two buildings are considered to be the symbols of the wealth and power that Portugal amassed from its explorations.
Another significant Lisbon tourist attraction is the Monument to the Discoveries. Sitting on the northern bank of the Tagus River, this monument of three sailing ships and sculptures of Portugal's most historical figures like Vasco da Gama, Magellan, and Prince Henry the Navigator is a tribute to Portugal's explorations of the world. Today, it serves as a reminder of the country's contribution in the mapping of the world and Europe's discovery of the Americas as well as many countries in Asia.
Other must-see buildings in Lisbon are Saint George's Castle, the only Lisbon landmark that can be seen from anywhere in the city; the Church of Santa Caterina; the Santa Justa Elevator, an iron architecture similar to the Eiffel Tower; the House of Spikes or
Casa dos Bicos , which features 1,125 diamond-shaped stones in its façade; the Ajuda Palace, a stunning and romantic royal palace with gorgeous interiors; and the Monument to Christ, a Christ the Redeemer-inspired statue of Jesus Christ.
Since Lisbon is one of the oldest cities in the world, it doesn't come as a surprise that it is also rich in historically significant artifacts and artworks. Besides its fantastic outdoor architectural "museum", Lisbon also boasts a good number of museums and exhibits that feature not only historical relics but also artworks from different cultures. It is through these collections that Lisbon displays its apparent love for the arts.
Among the many museums in Lisbon, the National Museum of Ancient Art, the CalousteGulbenkian Museum, and the Berardo Collection Museum are perhaps the best and the most visited, because of their fine and extensive collections. The National Museum of Ancient Art has the best collection of Portuguese art before the 19 th century and features a great number of fine paintings, sculptures, textiles, and other forms of art while the CalouseGulbenkian Museum has one of the finest private collections of eastern and western art. The Berardo Collection Museum, on the other hand, features a fantastic collection of modern and contemporary art.
Lisbon also has a number of museums that are quite unique to the city. A bit father from the center of the city stands the Museum of Portuguese-Style Tile Mosaics. The museum has a one-of-a-kind collection of tiles dating back to the 15 th century, housed in the Convent of Madre de Dues, a magnificent chapel richly decorated with beautiful paintings. Another distinctive museum, located in the Belem Cultural Center, is the Design and Fashion Museum or MuDe, which features a collection of some 1200 stunning fashion pieces.
Lisbon also has one of the largest collections of royal coaches in the world. The coaches in this collection, which includes one used by Louis XIV court and another that was used by an ambassador to Pope Clement XI, are all housed in the MuseuNacional dos Coches (National Coaches Museum).
In addition, the city also has the Museum of the Orient, which was established to celebrate Portugal's explorations of the East and which boasts relics, artwork, and textile collected by the Portuguese explorers in China, Japan, and Indonesia.
Other popular museums in the city include the
MãeD'Água Water Museum , the Archaeology Museum, the Electricity Museum, and the Decorative Arts Museum.
While Lisbon's main attraction is its vibrant lifestyle, there are plenty of things to see in the city that reflect its terrific history and its major role during the Age of Discovery. So if you ever find yourself in the city, take time to uncover and bask its historic beauties.
