The Belém National Palace, or alternately National Palace of Belém, (Portuguese: Palácio Nacional de Belém) has, over time, been the official residence of Portuguese monarchs and, after the installation of the First Republic, the Presidents of the Portuguese Republic. Located in the civil parish of Santa Maria de Belém, the palace is located on a small hill that fronts the Praça Afonso de Albuquerque, near the historical centre of Belém and the Monastery of the Jeronimos, close to the waterfront of the Tagus River. The five buildings that make up the main façade of the Palace date back to the second half of the 17th century, and were built at a time when the monarchy and nobility increasingly desired to seek respite from the urbanized confines of Lisbon.

History

The site was originally part of the Outeiro das Vinhas, a property that fronted the beach of the Tagus River. King Manuel I of Portugal, the Renaissance gentleman scholar, acquired the land in 1559, naming it Quinta de Belém and constructing a building with three salons and two atria. By the mid-17th century the property was linked to a scion of the Royal Court, then transferred to the possession of the Counts of Aveiras and occupied by a convent.

Belém (Portuguese pronunciation: [beˈlẽj]), literally Portuguese for Bethlehem, is a Brazilian municipality, the capital and largest city of the state of Pará in the country's north. It is the gateway to the River Amazon with a busy port, airport, and bus/coach station. Belém lies approximately 100 km upriver from the Atlantic Ocean, on the Pará River, which is part of the greater Amazon River system, separated from the larger part of the Amazon delta by Ilha de Marajó (Marajo Island). With an estimated population of 1,439,561 people — or 2,249,405, considering its metropolitan area — it is the 11th most populous city in Brazil, as well as the 16th by economic relevance. It is the second largest in the North Region, second only to Manaus, in the state of Amazonas,

Founded in 1616 by the Kingdom of Portugal, Belém was the first European colony on the Amazon but did not become part of Brazil until 1775. The newer part of the city has modern buildings and skyscrapers. The colonial portion retains the charm of tree-filled squares, churches and traditional blue tiles. The city has a rich history and architecture from colonial times. Recently it witnessed a skyscraper boom.

Belém is a station on Line 3 (Red) of the São Paulo Metro.

SPTrans Lines

The following SPTrans bus lines can be accessed. Passengers may use a Bilhete Único card for transfer:

References

Belém (the Portuguese word for Bethlehem), is the capital city of the Brazilian state of Pará.

Belem or Belém may also refer to:

See also