History Belém (Lisbon)

1 history

1.1 middle ages
1.2 monarchy
1.3 republic

history

the belém tower, military outpost built protect tagus estuary pirates , enemy attacks



the royal family embarking rio de janeiro port of belém after french invasion of 1807



on veranda of belém palace, sidonio pais reads telegram king of great britain celebrating portuguese participation in allied victory in world war i



the harbour of bom sucesso, showing rapid industrialisation of belém around start of 20th century.

archaeological evidence discovered along margins of tagus indicates human occupation in area of belém dates paleolithic era.

middle ages

with establishment of kingdom of portugal afonso iii, royal surveys, or inquirições gerais (general inquiries), made @ command inspect titles of lands claimed nobility , clergy, determined population around lisbon dispersed throughout lowlands, suitable agriculture. consequently, belém connected neighbouring city bridge @ alcântara. belém s proximity river tagus encouraged development of commercial activities in small village of aldeia restelo, attracted mariners , other seafarers seeking safe anchorage , protection winds when entered river. in 14th century, moors settled on , cultivated surrounding lands, providing city produce; other moors, both free , enslaved, worked in fishing industry. meanwhile, settlement in restelo grew towards lisbon.

it give religious , spiritual support villagers henry navigator, governor in military-religious order of christ, initiated construction near fishing port of small church dedicated saint mary. henry ordered construction of fountain , water trough in 1460 provide drinking water people , animals. foundation of church , jerónimos monastery manuel around 1459 on site of older church resulted in transfer order of christ hieronymite monks, , @ same time in being renamed santa maria de belém. existing structure started on orders of manuel (1469–1521) @ courts of montemor-o-velho in 1495, final resting-place members of house of aviz, in belief iberian dynastic kingdom rule after death. in 1496, king manuel petitioned holy see permission construct monastery @ entrance of tagus river. after arrival of vasco da gama year later samples of gold had discovered monastery became symbol of portuguese expansionism. church became house of prayer seamen leaving or entering port.

with restoration of portuguese independence in 1640, monastery regained of former importance, becoming burial place royal pantheon; within walls 4 of 8 children of john iv of portugal entombed: infante teodósio (1634–1653), infanta joana (1636–1653), king afonso vi (1643–1683) , catarina de bragança (1638–1705). on 29 september 1855, body of king afonso vi transported royal pantheon of house of braganza in monastery of são vicente de fora, along 3 brothers , sister. during reign of king peter ii of portugal, in 1682, bodies of king sebastian , cardinal henrique buried in transept chapels.

the same monarch ordered construction of tower of 4 storeys (in words of damião de góis) on basaltic outcropping of rocks in tagus near north bank, using of stones being collected build monastery of santa maria de belém. foundation of bastion of belém tower (torre de belém). after completion of these 2 construction projects, number of manorss in surrounding countryside established nobility. population continued grow, demographics of suburb changed sufficiently friar nicolau de oliveira indicated in 1620 within city limits. new convents appeared in area, , between 1551 , 1591 (as noted vieira da silva) civil parish of ajuda (nossa senhora da ajuda) created, consisting of vast territory clerics installed in monastery of belém.

monarchy

the belém district became increasingly popular after king john v of portugal acquired estates , properties in area develop defenses lisbon. carvalho da costa noted in corografia portuguesa ...immediately in front of junqueira locality of belém, healthy , appreciable naturals , visitors want live there, , want of comfort can not live [there] continually competing site. in there houses, noble estates, nobility, nobles of first order in kingdom; , if land permitted more palaces or buildings, city continue unto site .

in 1770, during reign of king joseph i, ecclesiastical parish of são pedro de alcântara, including territory east of alcântra river, established, de-annexing ajuda. barrio of belém officially constituted own judicial , administrative authority, , included ecclesiastical parish of ajuda, part of alcântra , santa isabel, parishes of benfica, belas, barcarena , carnaxide.

belém , ajuda areas around lisbon suffering least destruction in great lisbon earthquake , following tsunami on 1 november 1755. many of survivors lost homes installed in numerous tents , shacks in region. king joseph , court moved complex of tents , barracks located on part of royal estates ajuda national palace built. relocation king , prime minister , secretary of state, marquess of pombal, attracted commerce , made belém-ajuda centre of state bureaucracy during third quarter of 18th century. military presence deemed important government: 2 regimental infantry barracks under count of lippe, , cavalry regiment under mecklenburg installed. these events consolidated integration of belém-ajuda city of lisbon.

during latter part of 18th century, monarchy extricated belém-ajuda. in 1794, fire in ajuda destroyed royal tent (tenda real), forcing royal family abandon location , take residence in queluz national palace. lack of funds had delayed completion of ajuda national palace, french invasion in 1807, royal family fled rio de janeiro. when returned portugal in 1821, king john vi installed them in necessidades , bemposta palaces.

belém gradually evolved industrial zone, particularly around pedrouços , bom sucesso, attracting factories of various kinds such tanneries, metal-stampers, glass-makers, earthenware manufacturers, textile-makers , woollenware producers.

on 28 december 1833, civil parish of santa maria de belém, including parish of ajuda, institutionalised seat in jerónimos monastery. rapid industrialization began in period , continued throughout 19th century; 1881 inquiry established 25 factories produced goods in alcântara-belém region, employing 1215 men, 812 women , 432 minors. growth attracted many new residents , subsidised housing constructed support manufacturing industry. belém subsequently had more autonomy: separate municipality of belém existed between 11 september 1852 , 18 june 1885, presided on first president, historian alexandre herculano. municipality included parishes of nossa senhora da ajuda, santa maria de belém, part of são pedro de alcântara, santa isabel , são sebastião da pedreira, nossa senhora amparo de benfica, são lourenço de carnide , menino jesus de odivelas. royal family of king louis of portugal , queen maria pia of savoy began reside in ajuda national palace.

republic

belém location development of many urban projects, such construction of landfill, opening of many docks or opening of raillink cascais, departed pedrouços. socially, first recreational , cultural organizations established, , area place leisure activities. on transitioning 20th century, belém had grown considerably, establishment of electrical services within area , 1940 portuguese exhibition. 1940 expo resulted in demolition of older nucleus of belém, praça império. , beginning of phase of monumental constructions which, along pre-existing historic architecture (such jerónimos monastery, belém tower, , belém palace) began occupy waterfront. included iconic padrão dos descobrimentos , modern centro cultural de belém helped promote tourist , cultural exploration of north margin of tagus.