In José Saramago's novel, Lisbon is set in the 16th century, where the lives of the Portuguese intersect with the dream of building a colossal monastery that would immortalize the king's power and embody the ambitions of the state and the church. The narrative moves between the royal palace, the construction sites, and the lives of ordinary people, revealing a broad portrait of Portuguese society with its social inequalities, conflicts, beliefs, and dreams. The monastery's construction is linked to an unconventional love story between Baltasar and Belmonda, two characters from the margins of society who possess great willpower and imagination. The author gives significant space to the idea of ??flight and the machine that Belmonda attempts to build, in contrast to the colossal project imposed by the king on thousands of workers. In the novel, religious and political power coexists with the dreams of ordinary people, and the cost of grand projects becomes apparent when the ruler's will becomes a destiny imposed on others. The story also reveals the relationship between the individual, the institution, belief, and freedom. Saramago uses irony and historical reflection to re-examine the image of official glory, highlighting the voices that are often absent from historical records.