It was built for the Portuguese World Exhibition (1940), which commemorated the 800th anniversary of the independence of Portugal and the 300th anniversary of the Restoration. The Illuminated Fountain was also built at that time.
The garden is composed of a combination of 32 coats of arms, whose designs of bushes and flowers represent the former Empire Provinces, and 4 peripheral ponds crowned by two imposing sculptural groups displaying the mythological figures of two horses with the tails of marine animals.
Nearby stands one of Lisboa´s most distinguished monuments – the Mosteiro dos Jerónimos (Hieronymites Monastery) and the Belém Cultural Centre, a major exhibition and concert venue.