We Discover The Stories And Legends Of The Belém Tower

When you think of the city of Lisbon, it is impossible not to imagine the enigmatic tower of Belém. It is located in the Santa María de Belém neighborhood , southwest of the capital of Portugal. Its beauty and history have made it a popular place for tourists. But do you know their legends?

History of the Belém tower

The tower was built between 1515 and 1519 by Francisco de Arruda and Diogo de Boitaca  and is located at the mouth of the Tagus River. It initially served as a defensive tower to protect Lisbon and later became a lighthouse and customs center.

It is in the Manueline style, a variation of Gothic and Luso-Moorish. It has five floors and ends in a terrace. On the ground floor there are 16 windows with defensive guns. Its most prominent places are the Governor’s Room, the Kings Room, the Audience Room, the chapel and, finally, the terrace.

The legend about the tower of Belém

Now that we know some of the history of the Belém tower, one of the pearls of the city of Lisbon, it is time for you to learn about its most popular legend, that of the rhinoceros gargoyle.

The 16th century was one of the best times for the Portuguese country thanks to the discovery of the Atlantic route to the Indies, passing through the Cape of Good Hope. In fact, Alfonso de Albuquerque brought his king, Manuel I, a precious gift from the Indies in 1513: a rhinoceros.

This was the first time Europeans had seen such a large and strange animal. There were clashes in court over whether he would be as strong as an elephant. And finally, the king caused both animals to duel until the rhino won. The shape and color of the fortress are said to honor the horns of the victorious animal.

The king’s rhinoceros, carved on the tower

Not only is the rhino’s color manifested on the tower, there is also a statue in the shape of the animal. It is located on one of the sides of the tower and it is said that it was the king who had it sculpted in homage to the “strongest animal in the world”.

In fact, the animal came to have its own name, Ganda, and is carved on the tower as a symbol of the greatness and strength that the kingdom of Portugal was able to achieve during the Middle Ages. For something he was one of the most powerful in Europe thanks to trade with the Indies.

All Europe wanted to meet the rhino

As if that were not enough, if the king’s rhinoceros, Ganda, had already been popular throughout the kingdom, its fame was able to transcend all of Europe. Pope Leo X himself wanted to meet him. Therefore, the king prepared a procession for Ganda to reach the Vatican and meet the Pope. Even the King of France, Francis I, went to Rome to meet him.

However, the ship where the animal was traveling suffered an accident and was wrecked off the coast of Genoa. And when the Portuguese wanted to find the animal, it was already dead. And the king, who held the gift of his admiral in great esteem, ordered that the gargoyle be built on the tower of Belém to immortalize it.

Popularity of the Belém tower

The story of Ganda traveled throughout the known world of the Middle Ages. It began in India, reached its king, and traveled the Mediterranean until it ended in Rome. It was able to reach the ears of all the courts of Europe. In fact, a German artist, Albrecht Dürer, incorporated it into many of his works.

So far the story of Ganda, the rhinoceros who stars in a beautiful legend around the enigmatic tower of Belém. An iconic tower of Portuguese greatness, of the beautiful city of Lisbon, and even of European history. Are you ready to go up to her and find the animal for yourself?