Without your smartphone. To make hopes the so much. As we go about our daily lives and write songs from the last month when minds. In civil hands. In the twenty First Century starting december second on. Vincent the patron saint of lisbon he drew crowds wherever he went in this historical painting by the fifteenth century. We see him praying with a congregation in a small chapel on the banks of the re the tigris. Henry the navigator built the choco to enable lisbon seafarers to spend a night in pray before setting off across the vast unknown oceans to discover and conquer the world for portugal. In the early sixteenth century the mouth of the tangos was the gateway to the world portugal was at the peak of its powers its navigators returned to lisbon from far off lands. Vasco da gama who met the sea which to india pedro add that is scout who discovered brazil they found new lands and oceans a new sky and new stars. In caravels laden with exotic spices and treasure the explorers sailed into the port of lisbon. Where they were awaited by the king where the first also known as man with the fortunate. He ordered a large tall beacon to be build a watchtower for the golden spice ships he wanted a prestigious landmark for the capital of his empire a fitting monument to welcome home the intrepid captains streaming back to portugal with fabulous cargoes and reports of new conquests for the crown. The tower of ben lang was erected on a bustle frock which at the time stood around two hundred metres from the right bank of the tigris it was the last thing the explorers. So when they headed off into the unknown and it was the first thing they sighted on their return often several years later. But to the pirates lured to the mouth of the tigris by the prospect of rich pickings the task signalled portuguese determination to protect the property of the crown. Man well the first was obsessed with fame and glory he ruled over a vast empire and his dream of a portuguese world made him one of the most enthusiastic royal builders in europe he sent his best architects and stone masons to distant countries together inspiration and ideas for embellishing the buildings of their king. They adorned the belling tower with exotic architectural elements inspired by what theyd seen in far off lands they created finally sculpted on a mental details and release with seems drawn from nature and the nautical world. A building of sublime beauty to shape its decoration harmonizing perfectly with the strict military design dictated by the purpose of the town. The first gold shipped from east africa was reserved for a special purpose the king instructed the goldsmith. To use it to make a monstrance for the ministry he promised in the early days of his reign to dedicate to his patron saint the jeronimus monastery. On the precise spot where henry the navigator had built the small seamans chapel work started on the monasteries construction. Man where wanted the monastery to stand as a unique monumental tribute to his greatness and glory to finance the costly project he declared the most precious incoming spices pepper cloves and cinnamon the property of the crown the shipment of pepper alone which Vasco Da Gama brought back from india generated revenue sixty times greater than the cost of the expedition. On the less valuable spices and all the other cargoes arriving in belle lane from india africa and brazil the fortunate monarch levied a five percent tax. And with the returning ships came the artists inspired by the buildings theyd seen in ahmadabad the city side mosque to be a mosque in america and the illustrated books full of motifs from persia ethiopia angola brazil. They carved stone into a seemingly wild profusion of motifs nautical motifs as though ships ropes were the most natural way to hold stones in place. Mythological characters from other cultures and even their own fantasies during their travels. Using new craft techniques learned from silversmiths in india or africa the artists created statues on a months and release with an astonishing wealth of motifs their work gave rise to a new style named after their king the man willing style which is found nowhere else in the world. Man when the first not a great king but certainly a Fortunate One whose reign just happened to coincide with portugals greatest hour impatiently pressed ahead with the construction of the ministry at times more than five thousand craftsmen and laborers were employed on the site. In the massive name charged with a powerful aura of the sacred the verve and abandon of the stonemasons seems extinguished. In comparison with the cloisters the wealth of man willing ornamentation here seems to be of secondary importance. It was thanks to bode navigators like Vasco Da Gama whose tomb of the kings artists gratefully decorated that manuel was able to realize his monumental dream. Man with zone two men the Ministry Church shows no trace of man winning or mentation. At the south door of the Ministry Church is a statue of henry the navigator father of portuguese navigation and sponsor of the voyages of discovery to which the king owned his wealth. At the west door is one of the few statues of man where the first together with st jerome the king stands westward towards the mouth of the tigris as though awaiting the arrival of his ships returning with hodes full of treasure. Sent vincent patron saint of Lisbon Holding in his hands a caravan a symbol of the ships that made king manuel so fortunate. When man where died in fifteen twenty one he left behind a large empire an empire which gradually crumbled during the thirty six year reign of his son and successor john the third an empire which was perhaps too big for a small king and a small country. The portuguese writer pass while wrote when the portuguese empire declined trophies counted more than victories quotations more than original statements and glorious memories more than the uncertain future. Entered the conflict zone a new president has taken the oath of office in zimbabwe but is he any different from the old one my guest here in london is nic by one of the u. K. Representative of the countrys ruling zanu p. F. Party with thirty five years of bloodshed on the loose on the economy tomorrow it was Business Today have continuing to double. Double. Gold and shunting loads. Imaginative things here. And in some places and well show. You up stuff Department Stores try to outdo each others christmas decorations. They produce in the eyes of young and old alike. Euro. Sixty minutes d. W. We take it personally you went with all the wonderful people in stories that make the game so special. For all true fans. My. Little more than football on line. A new president has taken the oath of office in zimbabwe but is he any different from the old one my guest here in london is nic by one of the u. K. Representative of the countrys ruling zine