Lisbon, Portugal

On the right hand bank of the river Tagus, Lisbon (Lisboa), the capital of Portugal since its conquest from the Moors in 1147, is a legendary city with over twenty centuries of history. The maritime Voyages of Discovery turned Lisbon into one of the world's great ports and the center of an empire that stretched from Brazil in the West to India to the East. On the banks of the river, great monuments testify to that history. Alfama is one of the oldest quarters in Lisbon. Since it largely survived the earthquake of 1755, the area still retains much of its original layout. The Baixa Pombalina downtown was not as fortunate and was rebuilt in classical style and home of an plethora of stores, restaurants and cafes on Rua Augusta.

Atop the hill at 361 feet and above the center of the city where Lisbon's original settlers lived, Castelo de São Jorge (St. George's Castle) stands majestically with one of the city's most attractive viewpoints. The origins of this former fortress date back to an Iron Age settlement on this site, which was occupied by the Romans in about 205 B.C. It was renovated and extended several times and gained its present name in honor of the dragon killing St George, Portugal's patron saint. The earthquake of 1755 almost completely destroyed the walls and it was not until 1938-1944, under Salazar's rule, the whole castle complex was rebuilt and restored as visitors see it today. The heart of the complex is a wall with ten massive towers, which can be climbed and which offer a fine view of the city. In one of the inner battlement towers, Torre de Ulisses (Tower of Ulysses), houses the Periscope, an optical system invented by Leonardo da Vinci in the 16th century and the only one in Portugal giving a 360 degree view of the city in real time. Legend has it that Lisbon was founded by Ulysses. Within the inner courtyard of the castle ruins, a small park with water courses and with some animal enclosures has been laid out. Peacocks sit in the old trees or walk along the paths, here and there there are quiet corners in which little fountains babble. A restaurant has been opened in one part of the former royal residence and in addition a Gothic hall has been reconstructed. A fine prospect of the whole of the inner city can be enjoyed from the large tree filled square at the entrance.




Walking down the western side of the castle hill is the picturesque residential known as Castelo. At the bottom is Baixa, or downtown Lisbon, which is the heart of the city. It is the main shopping and banking district that stretches from the riverfront to the main avenue (Avenida da Liberdade), with streets named according to the shopkeepers and craftsmen who traded in the area. The charm of the Baixa district is its elegant squares, pedestrianized streets, cafes, and shops coexisting with old tramcars, street performers, tiled Art Deco shopfronts, and street vendors. Lisbon's longest and grandest pedestrianized street is Rua Augusta that runs from one corner of Rossio through the middle of Baixa through the triumphal arch on Praça do Comercio (Comercio Square) at the river's edge.


Rua Augusta is a lively pedestrian street with mosaic pavements, outdoor cafes, international shops, and the occasional street artist and peddler. Vendors offer wood, metal, and leather products, books, souvenirs, sunglasses, paintings, t-shirts, and anything else to attract the passing crowds. The arch built in 1873 commemorates the city's recovery after the 1755 earthquake and opens into Comerico Square or "the palace's square" at the waterfront. The royal palace stood for over two centuries until the 1755 earthquake destroyed it. The square is now surrounded on three sides by elegant arcaded buildings of Pombal's reconstruction and facing the river along the fourth. In the center of the square is a bronze statue of Dom Jose I, Portugal's ineffectual king during the earthquake, on horseback and wearing his emperor's mantle by Machado de Castro.


Founded in 1501 and built by Diogo Boitac and then João de Castilho, the magnificent Jerónimos Monastery (Mosteiro dos Jerónimos) is a great monument to the Age of Discovery and a magnificent example of the Manueline style of architecture. The Manueline style is unique to Portugal that combines Flamboyant Gothic, Moorish, and early Renaissance influences. It is characterized by an elaborate use of sculptural detail and often includes maritime motifs. The monastery was founded by King Manuel I in celebration of successful Portuguese voyages and territorial expansion around the world.

The main entrance to the monastic church is the south portal, designed by João de Castilho. Occupying the central pillar for the towering sculpture is a statue of Henry the Navigator. Inside, fragile-looking pillars covered with sculpture support a complex web of lierne vaulting over three aisles. Besides Vasco da Gama and Henry the Navigator, Luis da Camoes, Dom Sebastião and three Portuguese kings (their sarcophagi decorated with elephants) are also buried here. Major restoration and extension works in the 19th century saw the addition of the long Neo-Manueline west wing which now houses the Museu de Arqueologia (archeological finds from the Iron Age forward) and part of the Museu da Marinha (naval museum).




Across from the monastery, walking down by the river via an underpass by its gardens is the Monument of the Discoveries (Padrao dos Descobrimentos). This monument was built on the north bank of the Tagus River in 1960 as the celebration of the 500th anniversary of the death of Henry the Navigator, who gained great honor in the "Estavo Novo". It represents a three-sailed ship ready to depart, with sculptures of important historical figures such as King Manuel I carrying an armillary sphere, poet Camões holding verses from The Lusiads, Vasco da Gama, Magellan, Cabral, and several other notable Portuguese explorers, crusaders, monks, cartographers, and cosmographers, following Prince Henry the Navigator at the prow holding a small vessel. The only female is queen Felipa of Lancaster, mother of Henry the navigator, the brain of the discoveries. Inside is an exhibition space with temporary exhibits, an interesting film about the city of Lisbon, and an elevator that takes visitors to the top for some bird's-eye views of Belem and its monuments. The pavement in front of the monument is decorated with a mosaic that was offered by the South African government in 1960, representing a compass with the map of the world charting the routes taken by the Portuguese explorers.



Further down is the nearby Tower of Belém which is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site with the Jeronimos Monastery. Like the monastery, it was built to commemorate Vasco da Gama's expedition and Portugal's Age of Discovery. North African influences can be seen on the upper parts. The tower was built in 1515-20 by Francisco de Arruda as a fortress guarding the entrance to Lisbon's harbor in the middle of the Tagus River, which subsequently altered course so that it now stands on the riverbank.

From any vantage point at the river edge, you can see Ponte 25 de Abril, the longest single-span suspension bridge in Europe across the river Tagus renamed after the revolution of April 25, 1974 that was completed in 1966. The overall length of the bridge is about 1.5 miles and resembles San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge. On the other side of the bridge is Cristo Rei. This 92 ft. statue of Christ the King with open arms to Lisbon on an 270 ft pedestal was built in 1959 in thanks to God for having spared Portugal during WWII. This enormous monument to Christ was inspired by the famous statue in Rio de Janeiro and provides a sweeping view of the city and Tejo estuary from the top of the pedestal.


Getting around Lisbon is relatively easy. Driving is generally unnecessary and navigating the streets can be challenging. The distances between sites within the city are not huge so public transportation and/or taxis which are relatively inexpensive are recommended.