Lifau monument, Monument building in Lifau, Timor-Leste.
The Lifau monument stands as a bronze sculpture measuring 4.3 meters in height and weighing approximately eight tons, featuring a caravel design that commemorates Portuguese maritime exploration.
Established in 2015, this monument marks the site where Portuguese navigators first arrived in Timor in 1512, making Lifau the earliest European settlement and first capital of Portuguese Timor.
The bronze caravel sculpture symbolizes the cultural encounter between Portuguese explorers and indigenous Timorese communities, representing five centuries of shared heritage and colonial influence in the region.
Located in Oecusse region, the monument is accessible by road and serves as an educational site for visitors interested in understanding Timor-Leste's colonial history and Portuguese connections.
Cast in Portugal at the Lage foundry in Vila Nova de Gaia, this monument represents one of the few bronze maritime sculptures in Southeast Asia commemorating early European exploration.
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