The iconic Belém Tower, one of Portugal’s most visited monuments, has officially closed to the public for conservation and restoration work as part of the Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP).
The state-run company Museus e Monumentos de Portugal (MMP), which manages the site, announced that the project is expected to last one year, although periodic reopenings may be possible, depending on safety conditions.
In a statement, MMP said that “at each new stage of the works over the coming months, the possibility of reopening the Belém Tower to visitors will be assessed, always with priority given to the safety of both the public and staff.”
An official source from Portugal’s Cultural Heritage Institute, the body overseeing the implementation of the RRP in heritage-related projects, confirmed to Lusa news agency that the restoration contract was awarded for €1.05 million, with a completion timeline of twelve months.
Built between 1514 and 1520, and designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983, the Belém Tower is renowned for its striking Manueline architectural style, adorned with maritime symbols such as twisted ropes, armillary spheres, and crosses of the Military Order of Christ.
In 2023, the monument drew over 377,000 visitors, making it one of the most frequented heritage sites in the country.
The renovation of the monument does not come at the best time, however. As the president of MMP explained at the end of last year, several facilities in Lisbon run by the public company would be closed for works in 2025, coinciding with a tourist campaign focused on heritage.
At the time, the president of MMP said “the outlook for the year is not very encouraging in relation to the facilities [under the company’s remit]”, so they were “trying to draw up communication strategies here that will allow us to take people to other places to try to overcome this issue”.
