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We have arrived at Portugal's capital, Lisbon. Here's some quick fact I found on wikipedia: It is larger than Calgary with a population of 3 million on a area of 958 km2, it is the 9th most populous urban area in the European Union. Lisbon is the westernmost large city located in Europe, as well as its westernmost capital city and the only one along the Atlantic coast. It lies in the western Iberian Peninsula on the Atlantic Ocean and the Tagus River. So much to see and so little time. We did a walking tour and then flew overhead to see things from a totally different angle (we have to take a break from walking once in a while)
The statue in the picture is the Sanctuary of Christ the King (Portuguese: Cristo-Rei) - a Catholic monument and shrine dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ overlooking the city of Lisbon, Portugal. It was inspired by the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and inaugurated on 17 May 1959. At that time, Portugal was being ruled by the authoritarian President of the Council António de Oliveira Salazar, and it was on his orders that the Cristo-Rei was built.
The monument was built on the left-bank of the Tagus river, facing Lisbon on the other bank. Its location is at coordinates 38º40'43" N 9º10'17" W, in the civil parish of Pragal, in the city of Almada, in the District of Setúbal, Lisbon Region. It is also a national monument.The base of the monument, designed by architect António Lino, is in the form of a gate, standing 82 m (209 ft) tall. At the top is a statue of Christ the Redeemer, designed by sculptor Francisco Franco de Sousa, 28 m (92 ft)-tall. At the base of the statue is an observation deck (altitude: 82 m / 209 ft) providing panoramic views of the city of Lisbon, the Tagus River and of the 25 de Abril Bridge. It is located on the left riverbank.
Lisbon is the 25th most livable city in the World according to lifestyle magazine Monocle. The city is the seventh-most-visited city in Southern Europe, after Istanbul, Rome, Barcelona, Madrid, Athens, and Milan. Lisbon is one of the oldest cities in the world. Julius Caesar made it a municipium called Felicitas Julia, adding to the name Olissipo. Ruled by a series of Germanictribes from the fifth century, it was captured by the Moors in the eighth century. In 1147, the Crusaders under Afonso Henriques reconquered the city for the Christians and since then it has been a major political, economic, and cultural centre of Portugal. Unlike most capital cities, Lisbon's status as the capital of Portugal has never been granted or confirmed officially - by statute or in written form. Its position as the capital has formed through constitutional convention, making its position as de facto capital a part of the Constitution of Portugal.
Lisbon has two sites listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site: Belém Tower and Jerónimos Monastery.
Belém Tower - Built in 1515 as a fortress to guard the entrance to Lisbon's harbor, the Belem Tower was the starting point for many of the voyages of discovery, and for the sailors it was the last sight of their homeland. It is a monument to Portugal's Age of Discovery, often serving as a symbol of the country.
Jerónimos Monastery - Built in the Manueline style, it incorporates many stonework motifs ofthe Discoveries, sculptures depicting historical figures such as St. Vincent and an exotic rhinoceros that inspired Dürer's drawing of the beast. The architect, Francisco de Arruda, had previously worked on Portuguese fortifications in Morocco, so there are also Moorish-style watchtowers and other Moorish influences. Facing the river are arcaded windows, delicate Venetian-style loggias, and a statue of Our Lady of Safe Homecoming, a symbol of protection for sailors on their voyages.
Bob took a group golfing. Portugal is famous for its golf courses, and there are twelve highly rated examples in the Lisbon area. Many of the best ones are between Estoril and Sintra, and many of the better local hotels (like Lawrence's Hotel, Sintra) can organize golfing packages on request. They were invited to golf at the upmarket Penha Longa Golf Club in a former monastic estate, designed by Robert Trent Jones and that has hosted the Portuguese Open. Oooooolala.
Lisbon enjoys a Mediterranean climate. Among all the metropolises in Europe, it has the warmest winters (together with Barcelona), with average temperatures15 °C (59 °F) during the day and 8 °C (46 °F) at night in the period from December to February. The typical summer's season lasts about six months, from May to October, although also in November, March and April temperatures sometimes reach around 20 °C .
We decided to stay here a few days since there were so many place to walk to. Aimee enjoyed showing us the places she had visited us on her last trip here. Our Portugese has gotten us into a bit of trouble so we found this video on youtube to help straighten a few words - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2eLZ5i4-f8c.
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