Lisbon can rightly be called a city of museums, palaces and castles. It is these attractions that are the main points of visit in tourist maps. In addition to the historical monuments of Portugal on the territory of the Lisbon Riviera, tourists can visit the modern oceanarium and the zoo. About what else you can see in Lisbon, we will tell in this article.
Museums of Lisbon
Gulbenkian Museum in Lisbon
The Gulbenkian Museum is a private collection of unique works of art bearing historical value. The collection became public after the death of tycoon Gulbenkian, who bequeathed her to Portugal.
For viewing tourists are available several rooms. Among them are Egyptian, European and Asian. The exhibits in them are unique: the posthumous mask of Egyptian mummies, made of gold, bronze cats, alabaster bowls, whose age exceeds two and a half thousand years and much more.
In the European and Asian halls, tourists can see Persian tapestries, real Chinese porcelain, unique engravings, as well as coins, vases, statues and antique furniture from Europe.
Museum of carriages in Lisbon
Another highlight of Lisbon is the carriage museum. Located in the building of the former royal arena, the museum is unique. It contains the world's largest collection of artifacts.
The presented elegant carriages belonged to the monarchs and representatives of the Portuguese nobility. All of them are dated XVII - XIX century. In addition to the carriages themselves, visitors to the unique museum can also look at no less interesting exhibits, for example, cabriolets and children's carts.
Palaces, castles and fortresses of Lisbon
The Castle of St. George in Lisbon
The Castle of St. George is considered one of the most significant monuments of Portugal. As a fortress, it appeared during the Roman Empire, much later it became a castle and has seen a considerable number of invaders, masters, etc., since then.
The castle is located on a hill. There is an excellent observation deck, which offers panoramic views of the surrounding area of Lisbon. This castle is noteworthy, as the interior decoration is meager. In the castle itself you can get on the transport or by crossing a considerable distance up the hill.
Ajuda Palace in Lisbon
Lisudo Palace Ajuda is the former residence of Portuguese monarchs. Now it is open for tourists to visit, occasionally in it solemn events are held at the governmental level.
The architecture of the palace is neoclassicism. The interior spaces are decorated with a grand scale inherent in that time. So, on the walls hang paintings by local artists, the interior with expensive furniture is successfully complemented by silver and gold products, as well as ceramics. The palace is buried in the greenery of the adjacent park, along which tourists can also stroll. One wing of the palace remained unfinished, due to financial problems that arose during the construction period. For the same reason, the building did not turn out to be as grandiose and big as the project originally intended.
Cathedral of Lisbon
The Cathedral of Xie is not only the oldest cathedral in Lisbon, but also a historical memorial showing the arrival of power and invaders into the city's territory in the past.
Initially, on the site of the cathedral of Se was a temple belonging to the Romans. Then he was rebuilt into a church. In the VIII century, the shrine was destroyed by the Moors, they also founded a mosque here, which stood for another four centuries. The Cathedral of Xie was erected in the XII century. Its external appearance was more like a fortification. Subsequently, such an architectural decision justified itself, as the cathedral could stand during the strongest earthquake of the XVIII century.
In the modern cathedral there are the relics of St. Vincent, the bell tower, and also the font in which the patron saint of Lisbon was baptized.
Belem tower in Lisbon
The tower of Belem, erected in the 16th century in the harbor of Lisbon, is now under the auspices of UNESCO. The tower, which became a symbol of the era of great geographical discoveries - this is an important historical memo of the whole of Portugal.
The tower was partially destroyed during the strongest earthquake. Gradually it was restored, and now it has its original appearance. From the territory of the Belem tower a very beautiful view opens up on the mouth of the river of the city and all of its western part.
Lisbon: the sights of our time
Lisbon Oceanarium
The oceanarium in Lisbon is the second largest in the world. Excursions here are very popular.
In the aquarium there is a permanent exposition and temporary. The permanent is represented by a huge central aquarium, which creates the illusion of being under water. Excursions in the aquarium are accompanied by cognitive information, which is interesting not only to children, but also to adults. In the aquarium you can see sharks, rays, fish, penguins, otters and other animals.
Nations Park in Lisbon
The Park of Nations is visited not only by tourists, but is also a favorite vacation spot for the Lisbon people themselves. It is for this reason that there are reasonable prices here, both for entertainment, and for food and souvenirs. On the territory of the park there is an oceanarium, the Museum of Science and Technology, a cable car, and from here you can admire Europe's largest building of this type - the Vasco da Gama bridge. Also in the vicinity of the park there are many cafes, restaurants and shops.
To visit Lisbon, you will need a passport and a Schengen visa .