The Song of Lisbon

11/05/2004

Boasting springtime temperatures during the winter and cool summers freshened by the Atlantic breeze the Costa de Lisboa offers a rich history and natural diversity.

Radiant skies brighten the monumental city, with its typical tile covered building facades and narrow medieval streets, where one can hear the traditional music of the Fado being played and sung at night. In the heart of the city are wide, tree-lined avenues graced by Art Nouveau buildings, mosaic pavements and street cafes. Lisbon, the capital of Portugal, is a picturesque city that stretches along the banks of the River Tagus. The city was born on the site of the fortress, which is now circled by neighbourhoods drenched with ancient charm and fine monuments that bring to mind the great Age of Discoveries. As the dusk turns to night, the yellow electric tramcars continue to wind their way up and down the seven hills of the old capital and the streets come alive with midnight wanderers and party goers.

Lisbon has been battered by several serious earthquakes; due to the last and very destructive earthquake in 1755 the centre of this city was completely destroyed. This gave the then powerful Marquis de Pombal the opportunity to create his radical and impressive layout of wide avenues and streets. This idea was a complete change to the narrow and haphazard ones that were abundant in all major cities of that time.

lisbon (big)

Baixa:

The downtown area of Lisbon is known as Baixa, located in the 18th century area around Rossio. Certain places have stayed in their historic buildings, such as the fish market at Cais de Sodre that still portrays its strong character with the traditional bustle of market life. From an architectural point of view places to view are the squares of Praca do Comercio and the Rossio. The Praca do Comercio, also known as Palace Square, is one of the most majestic places in Lisbon and was once the main entrance to the city. The 19th century triumphal arch is situated in the centre of the square with old marble steps leading down to the river, and the arch leading onto the main pedestrian shopping areas in downtown Lisbon. This is also the spot of Lisbon’s oldest café, Martinho da Arcada, opening its doors by the glow of burning oil lamps; it has seen the last two centuries pass. The Rossio is a beautiful square where the people of Lisbon pass everyday, full of monuments, fountains and the aroma of freshly roasting chestnuts. In the middle of the square is a statue of Dom Pedro IV with four female figures at his feet representing Justice, Wisdom, Strength and Moderation, qualities attributed to Dom Pedro. The Rossio railway is an outstanding building in neo-manueline style, designed by José Luis Monteiro. The eight doors match the nine palatial windows and the incredibly decorated clock tower on the top of the facade.

The National Theatre, where plays were once performed for Kings and Queens, still puts on theatrical acts and also hosts a museum. It holds a collection of more than 300,000 pieces including costumes, stage props, settings, programmes and pictures. Lisbon's cathedral, (the Sé) was built by Portugal’s first King, Dom Afonso Henriques, damaged extensively during the great earthquake of 1755 it was rebuilt in an earlier style, and is a mixture of Gothic and Romanesque styles. The twin towers, the rose window, the naves, and the vestry are the only parts left of the original 13th-century building. The gothic cloister was a 14th century addition and is decorated in tiles depicting the Song of Solomon.


lisbon_1Alfama:

East of the arcade Praca do Comercio, are the medieval quarters of Alfama and Mouraria, crowned by the magnificent St. George's Castle. This magical place is a hilltop citadel with birds fluttering around the castle’s extensive gardens. Once a fortress, today the castle is home to local families and a relaxing place to wander. The castle has seven towers, a dry moat, two squares and look-outs with spectacular views over Lisbon and the river. Alfama is the oldest surviving area of the city as well as one of the most typical quarters of the city of Lisbon with its narrow, winding streets and archways that breathe the soul of the past into Lisbon. Throughout Alfama it is still possible to see Roman and Arab remains, who were two of the most dominant civilizations in Lisbon’s past.

The old Moorish quarter of Mouraria is a delicate muddle of very small streets and tiny squares. This area illuminates at night time with taverns, typical foods and the passionate Portuguese music of Fado. There are numerous places of interest here including the Museum of Decorative Art where furniture, books, rugs and other decorative objects are still made in the traditional way. Every morning on Tuesdays and Saturdays on the outskirts of Alfama, at the Campo de Santa Clara, there is a fascinating flea market, known as the Feira da Ladra that is worth a visit. Within close distance of the market is the National Pantheon, church of Santa Engracia, where the cenotaphs of Portugal’s heroes are held.

Bairro Alto:

To the west lie the zones of Bairro Alto and Madragoa, on the western extreme is the zone of Belém and linked to the well known shopping area of Chiado. The Chiado has its own special local cafes that are very fashionable and popular meeting places for writers and artists. Here you will find hotels, theatres, bookshops, museums, restaurants, fashion houses, street theatre performers and more. Although in 1988 Chiado was devastated by fire a massive renovation programme has brought the zone back to life. The Chiado Museum was founded in 1911 and is the most important contemporary art collection in the whole of Portugal, displaying works dating from 1850 until today. It illustrates works from the Romantic, Naturalistic and Modernistic periods as well as sculptures and drawings.

The most interesting way to reach Bairro Alto (high neighbourhood) from the Baxia (downtown) is to use the elevator, or more commonly known as the Elevedor de Santa Justa, designed and built by the French architect Gustave Eiffel (you may notice some similarities to the Eiffel Tower). This romantic neo-gothic structure was opened in 1902, made entirely of cast iron and embellished with filigree, with 2 lifts taking 25 people at a time to a height of 45 metres. The café at the top provides a surprisingly marvellous view over the centre of the city. Another way to reach this zone is to use one of the two 'funicular-like' trams that are bound to be quite an interesting experience.

An impressive ruin caused by the earthquake of 1755 is the 14th Century church of St. Carmo, and the chapel that withstood the destruction has been turned into an Archaeological Museum. Throughout its history, the museum has gathered a notable collection divided in a variety of core exhibits like archaeology, ethnography, numismatics, Latin and pre-Latin epigraphy, sculpture, etc. In the treasure room visitors find one of the most important jewellery collections and the 'Egyptian Antiquities' exhibition shows you a great deal from pharaonic tombs, including sarcophagi and mummies.

Other Locations:

Scattered through the city are many other interesting places and buildings. Amongst these are the Igreja da Estrela and its bountiful gardens, the English Cemetery that contains some historic memories, Parque Eduardo VII, the huge and wonderful Estufas greenhouses, and the Jardim Zoológico.

An area that must not be missed is Belém, located to the west side of the city this area runs along the River Tagus. Here can be found the baroque elegance of the Mosteiro de Jeróminos that was commenced in 1501 by the order of King Manuel I to celebrate the naval discovery of India. The Mosteiro dos Jerónimos thankfully managed to survive the great earthquake in 1755, unlike most of the city. The magnificent two-storey monastery is garland ornamented with stone shelves, sea monsters and other maritime symbols. As a contrasting statement of modern architecture, the Centro Cultural de Belém stands firmly between this historic Monastery and the striking baroque style 16th Century Torre de Belém built from 1515.

Belém Tower was built in tribute to the patron saint of the city, Saint Vicente. As centuries passed, new functions were given to the tower. It was a customs control point, a telegraph station, a lighthouse until UNESCO classified it as a World Heritage Site in 1983.

Belém Cultural Centre offers four exhibition areas and a Design Museum that presents exhibitions of plastic arts, architecture, design and photography. Inaugurated in 1999, the Design Museum opened with a show of 200 pieces, chronologically ordered to allow the visitor to see the evolution of the concept of design through the 20th century.

lisbon_2Getting to know Lisbon and its most intimate feelings means listening to Fado and to the sorrow of the Portuguese guitar. Fado is the traditional song of Lisbon and the ultimate artistic expression of being Portuguese. The Fado and Portuguese Guitar House is a museum and fascinating display documenting the history and roots of Lisbon’s national music. The house has an external atrium where shows are held, a document archive, auditorium, shop and coffee house. There are a number of Fado Houses throughout Lisbon that offer meals and Fado moments, sung and played by professional artists. This is a great way to immerse yourself in the culture and lifestyle of the Portuguese.

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