Tower of Belém, Lisbon Portugal: Architecture that demonstrates strength and elegance

On a tour of Lisbon, Portugal, I stopped at the Tower of Belém which is now a UNESCO World Heritage monument. Built in 1515 as a fortress to Lisbon’s harbor, I was first struck by how beautiful it was against the morning sun.

I remember standing on the stone cobbled paths which blanket so much of Lisbon, studying the details in silence of the fortress. Incredible that it is made of stone and yet effortlessly stretches towards the ocean and sky.