The centre was initially built to accommodate the programme of Portugal's Presidency of the European Council in 1992, but with the long-term goal of providing permanent venues for conferences, exhibitions and performance arts (such as opera, ballet and concerts), in addition to meeting halls, shops and cafés.

The building is located in the parish of Belém, near the riverfront west of Lisbon, between the dual Avenida da Índia-Avenida de Brasília motorway and Rua Bartolomeu Dias.

[3] Apart from fronting the Praça do Império (Imperial Square), it juxtapositions the Jerónimos Monastery, and is surrounded by many historical buildings, such as the Palace and Tower of Belém, National Museum of Archaeology, Planetarium, and Monument to the Discoveries.

Completed in 1992, it occupies a total of 100,000 m2 and is the work of architects Vittorio Gregotti and Manuel Salgado; the interior design was planned by Daciano Costa.

[4] Each centre is separated by transversal "streets", that link the building's interiors which are extensions of the city of Lisbon's historical urban structure.