Who was Bartolomeu Dias? Traveler, sailor, conquistador…. But he went down in history as the discoverer of the Cape of Good Hope. His life falls during the period of the Great Geographic Discoveries. He is one of the most important explorers alongside Christopher Columbus, Vasco da Gama and Ferdinand Magellan.
Luís Vaz de Camões (1524/5 – 1579 or 1580), known as the “prince of poets,” is widely regarded as the greatest poet of Portugal and of all literature created in the Portuguese language. His skills are often compared to Shakespeare, Homer, Virgil or Dante. He left behind many lyrical works and dramas, the best known of which is Portugal’s national epic Os Lusíadas (The Lusiads), or “sons of Luz,” after the name of the mythical forefather of the Lusitanians.
Fernando António Nogueira Pessoa (1888-1935) was an extremely versatile artist: poet, writer, philosopher, translator and literary critic. He wrote not only in his native language, but also in English and French.
In addition to the national emblem and anthem, the flag of Portugal is among the widely known symbols of the country’s statehood in the Iberian Peninsula. This deep-rooted element of the citizens’ identity has changed over the years, and is now an amalgamation of at least several currents, traditions, or national reflections on history.
Diogo Cão was a Portuguese captain, navigator, sailor and explorer. During his two expeditions, he charted the coast of West Africa and established settlements in what is now Angola. He was also the first European to discover and enter the Congo River, earning him a name as one of the most important sailor-explorers of the 15th century.