Vasco da Gama Garden

Category: Nature > Garden

District: Lisboa > Lisboa > Lisboa > Belém

Location

Vasco da Gama Garden is located in Belém, an area of Lisbon that evokes Portugal's rich maritime history. This green space was built on reclaimed land, precisely where the old Belém beach once stretched. Its position is strategic, bordered by the bustling Avenida da Índia and the picturesque Rua Vieira Portuense, ensuring it a central and easily accessible place in this emblematic area of the city.

Origin and Atmosphere

Named in homage to the celebrated Portuguese navigator Vasco da Gama, discoverer of the maritime route to India, this garden celebrates the Age of Discoveries. Its construction took place between 1983 and 1985, following the design of landscape architect António Saraiva. With an area of 4.2 hectares, the garden features a vast central lawn, inviting visitors to enjoy it, bordered by a fringe of trees and shrubs that provide a serene and welcoming setting throughout the year. Its open and unhindered design invites contemplation and rest in the heart of the city.

The Thai Pavilion: A Symbol of Friendship

One of the most distinctive structures in Vasco da Gama Garden is the Thai Pavilion, also known as Sala Thai. This architectural piece was a gift from the Royal Thai Government, marking five hundred years of diplomatic relations between Portugal and the former Kingdom of Siam. Inaugurated in 2012, the pavilion was conceived in Bangkok, following traditional methods with teak wood, gold leaf coverings, and vibrant stained glass windows. Its unique roof, which evokes a dragon's skin or fish scales, and the pinnacles representing stylized angels, highlight the richness of Thai art. Its assembly did not use nails or screws, relying solely on wooden joints. The story of its arrival in Lisbon by boat, replicating the journey of ancient Portuguese navigators, gives this structure added symbolic value, making it a unique cultural attraction in the garden.

Sculptural Art

The garden also houses a unique sculptural work, titled Castle of the Eye. This piece, the only decorative one in the space, was created by the Japanese sculptor Minoru Niizuma and inaugurated in 1994. Composed of five granite cubes, the sculpture stands out for its non-figurative and minimalist nature, embedded in a geometric abstraction of symbolic character. The rhythmic alternation between full and empty spaces, combined with a pronounced verticality and a hierarchy among the cubes, gives the work a striking presence and a visual point of interest in the garden's green environment.

License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt