ST. MARY'S AT BELEM, LISBON WIENER, Jacques and Charles: Portugal, 1867, Bronze, 59 mm Lisbon (Lisboa) is the capital and chief port of
Portugal, standing at the westernmost point of Europe. The city is one of
the most spectacular in Europe, rivaling Naples and Istanbul in its wide
views, the distinctive silhouette of its buildings and its enclosed
situation. In 1390 Lisbon was made an archbishopric, and in the following
centuries its importance grew with the opening of the sea route to India,
the discovery of Brazil and widespread voyages of Portugese mariners. It
became a great commercial port and the center of the distribution of the
riches of the Spanish overseas empire from 1580 to 1640. It was from Lisbon
that the Spanish Armada sailed in 1588. LINK to Vasco da Gama (from Wikipedia) LINK to History of Ecclesiastic Architecture (from World History at KMLA) |
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