Sægarpar - Seafarers - Merenkulkijoita - Marinaii

Click the photo to make it large

The monument of Vasco da Gama in Lisbon harbour. In the background the Vasco da Gama Bridge. To the right: Statue of St Vincent, the protector of Lisbon.

Í gamla daga voru Portúgalar miklir sægarpar og eru margir skipstjóra þeirra orðnir frægir í veraldarsögunni. Einn þeirra er Vasco de Gama og er minnismerki um hann og áhöfn hans við höfnina í Lissabon. Vasco þessi var fyrstur til að sigla í kringum suðurhorn Afríku og ná Indlandi á einni og sömu ferð. Þetta gerðist árið 1498. Fyrir aftanb minnismerkið sést aðeins í brú, sem einnig er kennd við Vasco de Gama. Brúin tengir saman bakka Tagus (Tejo) fljótsins. Hún er lengsta brúin í Evrópu, samtals 17 200 metrar á lengd.

Nefna má einnig að verndardýrðlingur Lissabon er Heilagur Vincent. Einnig hann er látinn halda á skip sem tákn um að hann verndar sæfarana.

In the old days the Portuguese were great seafarers. Many of them are famous in the world history. One of them is Vasco de Gama. He was the first one to sail around the south cape of Africa and reach India on one and same voyage. This was very important, because until then the goods from India had been transported on the land, which took a long time and could be dangerous.

At the Lisbon harbour there is a monument of Vasco da Gama and his seamen. In the background you can see the longest bridge in Europe. It is 17.200 metres and connects both sides of the Tagus (Tejo) river. To commemorate the famous seafarer it is called the Vasco da Gama Bridge.

The official saint of Lissabon is St Vincent. Even he carries a ship to symbolize the protections the seafarers get.

With greetings to all Talers in the four countries

Marjatta