The Monument to the Discoveries (Padrao dos Descobrimentos) is a monumental limestone sculpture on the Belem waterfront in Lisbon, built in 1960 to honor the navigators and explorers of Portugal’s Age of Discovery.
Highlights include a rooftop viewing platform reached by elevator with sweeping views over the Tagus River, ground-floor exhibition halls covering Portuguese maritime history, and a giant compass and world map mosaic set into the plaza pavement below.
The monument is open daily from 10am to 6pm October through February and 10am to 7pm March through September, with last admission an hour before closing; it is closed January 1, May 1, and December 24, 25, and 31. A full visit takes about 35 to 40 minutes.
