Most of the Portuguese expeditions of the Age of Discovery left Lisbon during the period from the end of the 15th century to the beginning of the 17th century , including Vasco da Gama 's expedition to India in 1498 . In 1506 , 3,000 Jews were massacred in Lisbon . The 16th century was Lisbon 's golden era : the city was the European hub of commerce between Africa , India , the Far East and later , Brazil , and acquired great riches by exploiting the trade in spices , slaves , sugar , textiles and other goods . This period saw the rise of the exuberant Manueline style in architecture , which left its mark in many 16th-century monuments ( including Lisbon 's Belém Tower and Jerónimos Monastery , which were declared UNESCO World Heritage Sites ) . A description of Lisbon in the 16th century was written by Damião de Góis and published in 1554
massacred
Lisbon massacre
Lisbon