Monument to Prince Henry the Navigator, Sagres

This competition was organised to erect a monument in honour of Prince Henry the Navigator (Henrique o Navegador or Infante Dom Henrique); he was the son of King John I of Portugal and lived in the 15th century.

This competition was approved by the International Union of Architects (UIA).

Keywords : Heritage, Remembrance, Urban Landscape

Theme and objectives

The competition was organised to create a commemorative monument to mark the fifth centenary of Prince Henry’s death. Prince Henry was responsible for the Portuguese kingdom’s exploration of the African coast. He is considered one of the initiators of the Great Discoveries and an important figure in the early days of European colonial expansion.

However, he never actually sailed and the epithet of navigator was attributed to him mainly as an honour.

According to the competition organisers, the aim of the monument was to express the greatness of the Prince’s personality, his work in service of the country and his role in the Great Discoveries as an “enlightened” prince.

Jury Members

The international jury was composed of the following members:

José Caeiro Da Mata, Professor and President of the Portuguese Academy of History, PORTUGAL;
Jean Tschumi, President of the UIA, FRANCE;
J. B. Ceas, Vice-President of the UIA, FRANCE.

Eligibility

This competition was open to all architects from all over the world.

Results

Competition closed. Results announced in 1955.

COMPETITION RESULTS