Lisbon Part Two

On their second full day in Lisbon, Dahlia and her parents took the trolley to Belem, a picturesque neighborhood in the western part of the city. One famous tourist attraction in Belem is the Mosteiro dos Jerónimos, a monastery that was built in the 15th century.

The monastery is a good example of the "manueline" style. It is very ornate with elaborate sculptural details.

There is a beautiful courtyard inside the monastery. When Portugal entered the European Union, the treaty signing ceremony was held in the courtyard.

Dahlia appreciated the architecture for about half a second before deciding that the courtyard was the perfect place to practice her jumping and running skills.

The monastery is just a short walk from the river. On the other side of the river is a giant Christ sculpture that looks like the one in Rio de Janeiro (but that was built after the Brazilian one).

Next to the river is the Padrão dos Descobrimentos (Monument of Discoveries). This monument honors famous explorers like Vasco de Gama and Prince Henry the Navigator, many of whom took off from this site. You can take an elevator to an observation deck on top of the monument for great views of the river, the monastery, and the entire city: