Everything about Lisbon totally explained
Lisbon () is the
capital and largest city of
Portugal. It is also the seat of the
district of Lisbon and capital of the
Lisbon region. Its
municipality, which matches the city proper excluding the larger continuous conurbation, has a municipal population of 564,477 in, while the
Lisbon Metropolitan Area in total has around 2.8 million inhabitants, and 3.34 million people live in the broader agglomeration of Lisbon Metropolitan Region (includes cities ranging from
Leiria to
Setúbal). Due to its
economic output,
standard of living, and
market size, the
Grande Lisboa (Greater Lisbon) subregion is considered the second most important
financial and
economic center of the
Iberian Peninsula. The
Lisbon region is the wealthiest region in
Portugal and it's well above the
European Union's
GDP per capita average - it produces 45% of the Portuguese
GDP. It is also the political center of the country, as seat of
government and residence of the
Head of State.
Lisbon was under
Roman rule from 205 BC;
Julius Caesar made it a municipium called
Felicitas Julia, adding to the name
Olissipo. Ruled by a series of
Germanic tribes from the 5th century, it was captured by
Moors in the 8th century. In 1147, the
Crusaders under
Afonso Henriques reconquered the city for the
Christians and since then it has been a major political, economic and cultural center of Portugal. Unlike most capital cities, Lisbon's status as the capital of Portugal has never been granted or confirmed officially—by
statute or in written form. Its position as the capital has formed through
constitutional convention, making its position as
de facto capital a part of the
Constitution of Portugal.
Lisbon hosts two
agencies of the European Union, namely, the
European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) and the
European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA). The
Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP), is also headquartered in Lisbon.
The present
mayor of Lisbon is
António Costa, elected by the
Socialist Party.
The municipal holiday is
June 13,
St. Anthony's Day.
Geography and location
Location
Lisbon is situated at 38°42' north, 9°5' west, making it the westernmost capital in mainland Europe. It is located in the west of the country, on the
Atlantic Ocean coast at the point where the river
Tagus flows into the Atlantic Ocean.
The city occupies an area of . The city boundaries, unlike those of most major cities, are narrowly defined around the historical city perimeter. This gave rise to the existence of several administratively defined cities around Lisbon, such as
Amadora,
Queluz,
Cacém,
Odivelas,
Loures,
Sacavém,
Almada,
Barreiro,
Seixal and
Oeiras, which are in fact part of the metropolitan perimeter of Lisbon.
The western side of the city is mainly occupied by the Monsanto Forest Park, one of the largest urban parks in Europe with an area close to 10 square
kilometres (almost 4 sq mi).
History
Neolithic era to the Roman Empire
During the
Neolithic the region was inhabited by
Iberian-related peoples, who also lived in other regions of
Atlantic Europe at the time. They built religious monuments called
megaliths.
Dolmens and
menhirs still survive in the countryside around the city.
The
Indo-European Celts invaded after the
first millennium BC and intermarried with the
Pre-Indo-European population, giving a rise to Celtic-speaking local tribes such as the
Cempsi.
Archaeological findings suggest that some
Phoenician influence existed in the place since 1200 BC, leading some historians to the theory that a Phoenician trading post might have occupied the centre of the present city, on the southern slope of the Castle hill. The magnificent harbour provided by the
estuary of the river
Tagus made it an ideal spot for a settlement to provide foodstuffs to Phoenician ships travelling to the
tin islands (modern
Isles of Scilly) and
Cornwall.
The new city might have been named
Allis Ubbo or "safe harbor" in Phoenician, according to one of several theories for the origin of its name. Another theory is that it took its name from the pre-Roman name of the River Tagus,
Lisso or
Lucio.
Besides sailing to the North, the Phoenicians might also have taken advantage of a settlement at the mouth of Iberia's largest river to trade with the inland tribes for valuable metals. Other important local products were
salt, salted fish, and the
Lusitanian horses that were renowned in antiquity.
Recently, Phoenician remains from the eighth century BC were found beneath the
Mediaeval Sé de Lisboa (Lisbon See), or main
Cathedral of the modern city. Most modern historians, however, consider the idea of a Phoenician foundation of Lisbon as unreal, and instead believe that Lisbon was an ancient autochthonous settlement (what the Romans called an
oppidum) that at most, maintained commercial relations with the Phoenicians, to account for the presence of Phoenician pottery and other material objects.
The Greeks knew Lisbon as
Olissipo and "Olissipona", a name they thought was derived from
Ulysses, though this was a
folk etymology. According to an
Ancient Greek myth, the hero founded the city after he left
Troy, and departed to the Atlantic to escape the Greek coalition.
If all of Odysseus' travels were in the Atlantic as
Cailleux argued, then this could mean that Odysseus founded the city coming from the north, before trying to round Cape Malea, (which Cailleux located at
Cabo de São Vicente), in a southeasterly direction, to reach his homeland of
Ithaca, supposedly present
Cadiz. However, the presence of Phoenicians (even if occasional) is thought to predate any Greek presence in the area.
Later on, the Greek name was corrupted in
vulgar Latin to
Olissipona. Some of the
native gods worshiped in Lisbon were Aracus, Carneus, Bandiarbariaicus and Coniumbricenses.
Roman Empire to the Moorish conquest
During the
Punic wars, after the defeat of
Hannibal (whose troops included members of the
Conii) the Romans decided to deprive Carthage in its most valuable possession,
Hispania (the name given by the Romans to the whole of the Iberian Peninsula). After the defeat of the Carthaginians by
Scipio Africanus in Eastern Hispania, the pacification of the West was led by
Consul Decimus Junius Brutus Callaicus.
He obtained the alliance of Olissipo which sent men to fight alongside the Legions against the Celtic tribes of the Northwest. In return, Olissipo was integrated in the Empire under the name of Felicitas Julia, a
Municipium Cives Romanorum. It was granted self-rule over a territory going as far away as 50 kilometres (30 miles), exempted from taxes, and its citizens given the privileges of Roman citizenship.
It was in the newly created province of
Lusitania, whose capital was
Emerita Augusta. The attacks by the
Lusitanians during the frequent rebellions over the next couple of centuries weakened the city, and a wall was built.
During the time of
Augustus the Romans built a great
Theatre; the Cassian Baths underneath the current
Rua da Prata; Temples to
Jupiter,
Diana,
Cybele,
Tethys and
Idae Phrygiae (an uncommon cult from
Asia Minor), besides temples to the Emperor; a large
necropolis under
Praça da Figueira; a large Forum and other buildings such as
insulae (multi-storied apartment buildings) in the area between the modern Castle hill and Downtown.
Many of these ruins were first unearthed during the middle Eighteenth century, when the recent discovery of
Pompeii made Roman Archeology fashionable among Europe's upper classes.
Economically, Olissipo was known for its
garum, a sort of fish sauce highly prized by the elites of the Empire and exported in
Amphorae to
Rome and other cities.
Wine,
salt and its famously fast
horses were also exported.
The city came to be very prosperous through suppression of
piracy and technological advances, which allowed a boom in the trade with the newly Roman Provinces of
Britannia (particularly
Cornwall) and the
Rhine, and through the introduction of Roman culture to the tribes living by the river Tagus in the interior of
Hispania.
The city was ruled by an
oligarchical council dominated by two families, the Julii and the Cassiae. Petitions are recorded addressed to the
Governor of the province in Emerita and to the Empreror
Tiberius, such as one requesting help dealing with "sea monsters" allegedly responsible for shipwrecks.
The Roman
Sertorius led a large rebellion against the Dictator
Sulla early in the Roman Period.
Among the majority of
Latin speakers lived a large minority of
Greek traders and slaves.
The city was connected by a broad road to Western Hispania's two other large cities,
Bracara Augusta in the province of
Tarraconensis (today's Portuguese
Braga), and
Emerita Augusta, the capital of
Lusitania (now
Mérida in
Spain).
Olissipo, like most great cities in the Western Empire, was a centre for the dissemination of
Christianity. Its first attested
Bishop was
St. Potamius (c. 356), and there were several
martyrs killed by the
pagans during the great persecutions;
Maxima,
Verissimus and
Julia are the most significant names.
At the end of the Roman domain, Olissipo was one of the first Christian cities. It suffered invasions from the
Sarmatian Alans and the
Germanic Vandals, who controlled the region from 409 to 429. The Germanic
Suebi, who established a kingdom in
Gallaecia (modern
Galicia and northern Portugal), with capital in
Bracara Augusta (
Braga), from 409 to 585, also controlled the region of Lisbon for long periods of time.
In 585 the Suebi kingdom was included in the Germanic
Visigothic kingdom of Toledo, that comprised all of the Iberian Peninsula. Lisbon was then called
Ulishbona.
Moorish rule
In approximately 711 Lisbon was taken by the
Moors (it was called
al-ʾIšbūnah in
Arabic الأشبونة), under whose rule the city flourished. The Moors, who were
Muslims from North Africa and the Middle East, built many
mosques and houses as well as a new city wall, currently named the
Cerca Moura. The city kept a diverse population including
Christians,
Berbers,
Arabs,
Jews and
Saqalibas.
Arabic was forced on the Christians as the official language.
Mozarabic was the mother language spoken by the Christian population.
Islam was the official religion practiced by the Arabs and
Muladi (
muwallad), the Christians could keep their religion but under
Dhimmi status and were required to pay the
jizyah.
The Moorish influence is still present in
Alfama, the old part of Lisbon that survived the
1755 Lisbon earthquake. Many placenames are derived from Arabic; the
Alfama, the oldest existing district of Lisbon, for example, is derived from the Arabic "al-hamma".
For a brief time during the
Taifa period Lisbon was the center town in the Regulo Eslavo of the
Taifa of
Badajoz and then as an independent Taifa ruled by Abd al-Aziz ibn Sabur and Abd al-Malik ibn Sabur sons of
Sabur al-Jatib(Sabur the Slav), a
Slav that had been at the service of
al-Hakam II before rulling the Taifa of Badajoz.
In 1147, as part of the
Reconquista,
crusader knights led by
Afonso I of Portugal,
sieged and reconquered Lisbon. Lisbon was now back in Christian hands. Its inhabitants were around one hundred fifty-four thousand.
The reconquest of Portugal and re-establishment of Christianity is one of the most significant events in Lisbon's history; although it's known through the chronicle
Expugnatione Lyxbonensi, attributed to
Osburnus, that there was a bishop in the town that was killed by the
crusaders and that the population was praying to the Virgin Mary when afflicted with plague, which indicates that the
Mozarab population followed the
Mozarabic rite.
Arabic lost its place in everyday life. Any remaining
Muslim population were gradually converted to
Roman Catholicism, or expelled, and the
mosques were turned into
churches. (Though in Portuguese historiography this was often mentioned as "turning the mosques
back into churches", in fact many of the structures concerned were built as mosques to begin with).
From the Middle Ages to the Portuguese Empire
It received its first
Foral in 1179, and became the capital city of Portugal in
1255 due to its central location in the new Portuguese territory. The first Portuguese
university was founded in Lisbon in 1290 by
Dinis I of Portugal as
Estudo Geral (General Study). The university was transferred several times to
Coimbra, where it was installed definitively in the 16th century (today's
University of Coimbra).
During the last centuries of the Middle Ages, the city expanded substantially and became an important trading post with both northern Europe and Mediterranean cities.
Most of the Portuguese expeditions of the
age of discovery left from Lisbon during the
15th to
17th centuries, including
Vasco da Gama's departure to
India in 1497. The
16th century marks the golden age for Lisbon. The city became the European hub of commerce with Africa, India, the Far East and, later,
Brazil, exploring riches like spices, slaves, sugar, textiles and other goods. This was the time of the exuberant
Manueline style, which has left its mark in two 16th century Lisbon monuments, the
Belém Tower and the
Jerónimos Monastery, both of which were declared
World Heritage Sites by
UNESCO.
Portugal lost its independence to Spain in 1580 after a succession crisis, and the
1640 revolt that restored the Portuguese independence took place in Lisbon (see
Philip III of Portugal). In the early 18th century, gold from Brazil allowed
King John V to sponsor the building of several
Baroque churches and theatres in the city.
1755 Lisbon earthquake
Prior to the 18th century, Lisbon had experienced several important earthquakes - eight in the 14th century, five in the 16th century (including the 1531 earthquake that destroyed 1,500 houses, and the 1597 earthquake when three streets vanished), and three in the 17th century. On
1 November 1755 the city was destroyed by
another earthquake, which killed between 60,000 and 90,000 people and destroyed eighty-five percent of the city. With an estimated population of 275,000, Lisbon was, in 1755, one of the largest cities in Europe. Among several important structures of the city, the
Royal Ribeira Palace and the
Royal Hospital of All Saints were lost. The event shocked the whole of Europe.
Voltaire wrote a long poem, "Poême sur le désastre de Lisbonne", shortly after the quake, and mentioned it in his 1759
novel Candide (indeed, many argue that this critique of
optimism was inspired by that earthquake).
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. also mentions it in his 1857
poem,
The Deacon's Masterpiece, or The Wonderful One-Hoss Shay. In the town of
Cascais, some 30 km west of Lisbon, the waves wrecked several boats and when the water withdrew, large stretches of sea bottom were left uncovered. In coastal areas such as
Peniche, situated about 80 km north of Lisbon, many people were killed by the tsunami. In
Setúbal, 30 km south of Lisbon, the water reached the first floor of buildings. The destruction was also great in the
Algarve, southern Portugal, where the tsunami dismantled some coastal fortresses and, in the lower levels, razed houses. In some places the waves crested at more than 30 m.
Almost all the coastal towns and villages of Algarve were heavily damaged, except
Faro, which was protected by sandy banks. In
Lagos, the waves reached the top of the city walls. For many Portuguese coastal regions, the destructive effects of the tsunami were more disastrous than those of the earthquake proper. In southwestern
Spain, the tsunami caused damage to
Cadiz and
Huelva, and the waves penetrated the
Guadalquivir River, reaching
Seville. In
Gibraltar, the sea rose suddenly by about two meters. In
Ceuta the tsunami was strong, but in the
Mediterranean Sea, it decreased rapidly. On the other hand, it caused great damage and casualties to the western coast of
Morocco, from
Tangier, where the waves reached the walled fortifications of the town, to
Agadir, where the waters passed over the walls, killing many.
After the 1755 earthquake, the city was rebuilt largely according to the plans of
Sebastião José de Carvalho e Melo, the
Marquis of Pombal; hence the designation of the lower town as
Baixa Pombalina (
Pombaline Downtown). Instead of rebuilding the medieval town, Pombal decided to demolish the remains of the earthquake and rebuild the downtown in accordance with modern urban rules.
19th and 20th centuries
In the first years of the
19th century, Portugal was invaded by the troops of
Napoléon Bonaparte and Queen
Maria I and Prince-Regent
João (future John VI) temporarily fled to
Brazil. Considerable property was pillaged by the invaders.
The city felt the full force of the Portuguese liberal upheavals, beginning its tradition of cafés and theatres. In 1879 the
Avenida da Liberdade was opened, replacing a previous public garden.
Lisbon was the centre of the republican coup of
October 5,
1910 which instated the Portuguese Republic. Previously, it was also the stage of the
regicide of
Carlos I of Portugal (1908).
The city refounded its university in 1911 after centuries of inactivity in Lisbon, incorporating reformed former colleges and other non-university higher education schools of the city (such as the
Escola Politécnica - now
Faculdade de Ciências). Today there are 3 public universities in the city (
University of Lisbon,
Technical University of Lisbon and
New University of Lisbon) and 2 public university institutes (IPL -
Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa and ISCTE -
Instituto Superior de Ciências do Trabalho e da Empresa) - see
list of universities in Portugal.
During
World War II Lisbon was one of the very few neutral, open European Atlantic ports, a major gateway for refugees to the U.S. and a spy nest.
In 1974, Lisbon was the central destination point of the
Carnation Revolution maneuvers, the end of the Portuguese Corporative Regime (
Estado Novo).
In 1988, a fire near the historical centre of
Chiado greatly disrupted normal life in the area for about 10 years.
In 1994, Lisbon was the
European Capital of Culture.
Expo '98 was held in Lisbon. The timing was intended to commemorate the 500th anniversary of
Vasco da Gama's sea voyage to
India. It was considered by the
Bureau of International Expositions the best world expo ever.
Contemporary events
The
Lisbon Agenda was a
European Union agreement on measures to revitalize the EU economy, signed in Lisbon in March 2000.
Every March the city hosts the world-famous
Lisbon Half Marathon, one of the most attended events of its kind in the world.
It regularly hosts countless other international events including various
NATO,
European Union and other summits.
In 2004, Portugal organised the soccer Euro cup, Luz and Alvalade stadiums held some of the games.
Rock in Rio, known for being the biggest pop-rock festival in the world with an attendance that can reach 100 000 people, was held in Lisbon three times (2004, 2006 and 2008) and will continue in the city for some years, hosting concerts of many high profile singers and bands, such as
Anastacia,
Metallica,
Shakira,
Guns N' Roses,
Roger Waters,
Britney Spears,
Red Hot Chili Peppers,
Amy Winehouse and many more.
In January 2006 and 2007, Lisbon was the starting city of the
Dakar Rally.
On the
7 July 2007, Lisbon held the ceremony of the "New 7 Wonders Of The World"
(External Link
) election, in Luz stadium, with live transmition for millions of people all over the world.
On the 18 and
19 October 2007 Lisbon held the
2007 EU Summit, where agreement was reached regarding the Union governance model. The
Treaty of Lisbon was signed on the
13 December 2007.
Climate
Lisbon is one of the mildest European capitals. Spring is cool to warm (between 6 °C and 28 °C) with sunshine and also some showers. Summer months are mostly sunny, dry, hot with a little breeze with temperatures between 16 °C to 37 °C. Autumn is mild and unsettled with temperatures between 8 °C and 23 °C and winters are typically rainy and cool with some sunny days (temperatures between 3 °C and 18 °C), usually staying at an average of 11 °C. Snowfall is a very rare occurrence — Lisbon briefly witnessed snow on
January 29,
2006 and
January 28 2007 thanks to cold waves from the
Arctic that affected Europe in those days. Before 2006, no snowfall had been registered for over forty years, just some sleety days. On average, there are 3300 sunny hours per year and 100 days with rain per year. Lisbon's climate is strongly influenced by the
Gulf Stream.
| Climatic Average |
January |
February |
March |
April |
May |
June |
July |
August |
September |
October |
November |
December |
| Temperature min/max (ºC) |
7/14 |
9/16 |
10/18 |
11/19 |
13/22 |
17/27 |
18/29 |
18/28 |
17/26 |
14/22 |
10/16 |
9/14 |
| Chance of rain |
43% |
26% |
26% |
35% |
31% |
17% |
7% |
11% |
22% |
38% |
40% |
40% |
| Typical Sky |
Sunny |
Sunny |
Sunny |
Sunny |
Sunny |
Sunny |
Sunny |
Sunny |
Sunny |
Partly Cloudy |
Sunny |
Partly Cloudy |
| Wind |
Light |
Light |
Moderate |
Moderate |
Moderate |
Moderate |
Fresh |
Moderate |
Moderate |
Moderate |
Moderate |
Moderate |
Demographics
The population of the city proper was 564,477 and the metropolitan area (
Lisbon Metropolitan Area) was 2,800,000 according to the Instituto Nacional de Estatística
(External Link) (National Institute of Statistics). The Lisbon Metropolitan Area coincides with two
NUTS II units,
Grande Lisboa (Greater Lisbon), in the northern bank of the
Tagus, and
Península de Setúbal (Setúbal Peninsula), to the south, which are the two subregions of
Região Lisboa (Lisbon Region). The population density of the city itself is .
Like most big cities, Lisbon is surrounded by many
satellite cities. It is estimated that more than one million people enter Lisbon every day from the outskirts.
Cascais and
Estoril are among the most
interesting neighbouring towns for night life. Beautiful palaces, landscapes and historical sites can be found in
Sintra and
Mafra. Other major municipalities around Lisbon include
Amadora,
Oeiras,
Odivelas,
Loures,
Vila Franca de Xira and, in the south bank of the
Tagus river estuary,
Almada,
Barreiro and
Seixal.
Lisbon is ranked number 1 in the Portuguese most livable cities survey of
living conditions published yearly by
Expresso.
Culture and sights
The heart of the city is the
Baixa (Downtown) or city centre; this area of the city is being considered for
UNESCO World Heritage Site status. The
Baixa is organised in a grid system and a network of squares built after the
1755 Lisbon earthquake, which levelled a great portion of the medieval city. The
Castle of São Jorge and the
Lisbon Cathedral are located on one of the seven hills of Lisbon, to the east of the
Baixa. The oldest district of the city is
Alfama, close to the Tagus, which has made it relatively unscathed through the various earthquakes.
Other monuments include:
the
Castle of São Jorge, atop the tallest hill of the central city,
Praça do Comércio (Commerce Square) with the beautiful façade of the
Church of Nossa Senhora da Conceição Velha nearby,
Rossio Square,
Restauradores Square,
Elevador de Santa Justa, an
elevator (lift) in
Gothic revival style, built around 1900 to connect the Baixa and Bairro Alto, the richly-decorated
Church of São Roque, the Baroque and Neoclassical
Estrela Basilica, the Manueline
Jerónimos Monastery,
Belém Tower,
Padrão dos Descobrimentos (Monument of the Discoveries),
Monastery of São Vicente de Fora and
Carmo Convent.
The city of Lisbon is rich in architecture;
Romanesque,
Gothic,
Manueline,
Baroque,
Traditional Portuguese,
Modern and
Post-Modern constructions can be found all over the city. The city is also crossed by great boulevards and monuments along these main thoroughfares, particularly in the upper districts; notable among these are the
Avenida da Liberdade (Liberty Avenue), Avenida Fontes Pereira de Melo, Avenida Almirante Reis and Avenida da República (Republic Avenue).
The most famous museums in Lisbon are the
Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga (National Museum of Ancient Art), the
Museu do Azulejo (Museum of Portuguese-style
Tile Mosaics), the
Museu Calouste Gulbenkian (Calouste Gulbenkian Museum, containing varied collections of ancient and modern art), the
Lisbon Oceanarium (
Oceanário de Lisboa, the largest in Europe), the
Museu Nacional do Traje e da Moda (National Museum of Costume and Fashion), the
Berardo Collection Museum (Modern Art) at the
Belém Cultural Center, the
Museu Nacional dos Coches (National Coach Museum, containing the largest collection of royal coaches in the world) and the
Museu da Farmácia (Pharmacy Museum).
Lisbon's opera house, the
Teatro Nacional de São Carlos, hosts a relatively active cultural agenda, mainly in autumn and winter. Other important theatres and musical houses are the
Centro Cultural de Belém, the
Teatro Nacional D. Maria II and the
Gulbenkian Foundation.
The monument to Christ the King
(Cristo Rei) stands on the left side of the river, in
Almada. With open arms, overlooking the whole city, it resembles the Corcovado monument in
Rio de Janeiro, and was built after
World War II, as thanks for Portugal's being spared the horrors and destruction of the war.
Every June there are 5 days of popular street celebrations in memory of a saint born in Lisbon –
Anthony of Lisbon (or Santo António). Saint Anthony, also known as Saint Anthony of Padua, was a wealthy Portuguese bohemian who was
canonised and made
Doctor of the Church after a life preaching to the poor, simpler people. Although Lisbon’s patron saint is
Saint Vincent, whose remains are in the
Lisbon Cathedral, there are no festivities associated with him.
Parque Eduardo VII is the second largest park of the city after
Parque Florestal de Monsanto, prolonging the main avenue (
Avenida da Liberdade). Originally named Parque da Liberdade, was after renamed
Park Edward VII of England who visited Lisbon in 1903, it includes a large variety of plants in a winter garden (Estufa Fria).
Lisbon is home every year to the
Lisbon Gay & Lesbian Film Festival.
Economy
The
Lisbon region is the wealthiest region in
Portugal and it's well above the
European Union's
GDP per capita average - it produces 45% of the Portuguese
GDP. Lisbon's economy is based primarily on the
tertiary sector. Most of the headquarters of multinationals operating in Portugal are concentrated in the
Grande Lisboa subregion, specially in the
Oeiras municipality.
Lisbon Metropolitan Area is heavily industrialized, especially the south bank of the Tagus river (Rio Tejo).
The country's chief seaport and featuring one of the largest and most sophisticated regional markets within the Iberian Peninsula, Lisbon and its heavily populated surroundings, are also developing as an important financial center and a dynamic technological hub.
Lisbon has the largest and most developed
mass media sector of Portugal, and is home to several related companies ranging from leading
television networks and
radio stations to
major newspapers.
The
Euronext Lisbon stock exchange, part of the pan-European
Euronext system together with the stock exchanges of
Amsterdam,
Brussels and
Paris, is tied with the
New York Stock Exchange since 2007, forming the multinational
NYSE Euronext group of stock exchanges.
Transport
Lisbon's public transport network is extremely far-reaching and reliable and has its
Metro as its main artery, connecting the city centre with the upper and eastern districts, and now reaching the suburbs. Ambitious expansion projects will increase the network by almost one third, connecting the airport, and the northern and western districts. Bus, funicular and tram services have been supplied by the Companhia de Carris de Ferro de Lisboa (
Carris), for over a century.
A traditional public transport in Lisbon is the
tram. Originally introduced in the 19th century, the trams were originally imported from the
U.S. and called
americanos. The original trams can still be seen in the Museu da Carris (the Public Transport Museum) (
Carris). Other than the modern line 15, the Lisbon tram system still employs small (four wheel) vehicles of a design dating from the early part of the twentieth century. These are effective on the steep hills and narrow streets of the central city.
There are other commuter bus services from the city: Vimeca (
(External Link)), Rodoviaria de Lisboa (
(External Link)), Transportes Sul do Tejo (
(External Link)), Boa Viagem (
(External Link)), Barraqueiro (
(External Link)) are the main ones, operating from different terminals in the city.
There are four commuter train lines departing from Lisbon: the
Cascais,
Sintra and
Azambuja lines as well as a fourth line to
Setúbal crossing the
Tagus river over the
25 de Abril Bridge. The major railway stations are
Santa Apolónia,
Rossio,
Gare do Oriente and
Cais do Sodré.
The city doesn't offer a
light rail service (tram line 15, although running with new and faster trams doesn't fall onto this category), but there are plans to build some lines with this service around the city (but not into the city itself).
The city is connected to the far side of the Tagus by two important bridges:
Another way of crossing the river is by taking the ferry. The main company is Transtejo (
(External Link)), which operates from different points in the city to
Cacilhas,
Seixal,
Montijo,
Porto Brandão and
Trafaria and the other company is Soflusa (
(External Link)), operating one only line to
Barreiro.
Lisbon is connected to its suburbs and the rest of Portugal by an extensive motorway network. There are three circular motorways around the city; the 2ª Circular, the CRIL and the CREL.
The
Portela Airport is located within the city limits.
TAP and
Portugalia have their hubs here and the flights available are mostly to Europe, Africa and America.
Education in Lisbon
The city has several private and public
secondary schools,
primary schools as well as
kindergartens. In Greater Lisbon area there are also international schools such as
Saint Julian's School, the
Carlucci American International School of Lisbon,
St Dominic's International School, Deutsche Schule Lissabon, and Lycée Francais Charles Lepierre.
There are 3 major
public universities in Lisbon: the
University of Lisbon (Lisbon's oldest higher education institution), the
Technical University of Lisbon and the
New University of Lisbon, providing degrees in all academic disciplines. There is also two state-run university-institutes: the
Polytechnical Institute of Lisbon and the
ISCTE.
Major private institutions of higher education include the
Portuguese Catholic University, as well as the
Moderna University, the
Lusíada University, the
Universidade Lusófona, the
Instituto Superior de Psicologia Aplicada and the
Universidade Autónoma de Lisboa.
Sports
The Lisbon
sports clubs Sport Lisboa e Benfica (commonly "Benfica") and
Sporting Clube de Portugal (commonly "Sporting"), have many sports teams in the highest Portuguese divisions and European competitions.
Belenenses, another important club with a great tradition in Portuguese sport, is also from the Portuguese capital.
Football is the most popular sport in Lisbon. Major football clubs include
SL Benfica, with its home 65,000 seat stadium the
UEFA 5-Star Stadium Estádio da Luz (named after the area in which the stadium is situated (Luz) and not, as is popularly believed, 'Stadium of Light'). Benfica has won the
UEFA Champions League twice and has appeared in the final seven times.
Sporting Clube de Portugal is the other major football team from the city, also having a UEFA 5-Star stadium, 52,000 seat
Estádio José de Alvalade stadium. It has won the
UEFA Cup Winners Cup once and was the
UEFA Cup finalist in the 2004-05 season. Former players from this team include
Luís Figo and
Cristiano Ronaldo.
Belenenses is the third most important football team in the city, having
Estádio do Restelo as its home stadium in the
Belém neighbourhood of Lisbon. Belenenses holds the distinction of being the first club, other than perennial winners Sporting, Benfica and
Porto, to win the Portuguese League, taking the trophy in the 1945-46 season.
Other sports, such as
indoor football,
handball,
basketball and
roller hockey are also popular.
There are many other sport facilities in Lisbon, ranging from
athletics to
sailing to
golf to
mountain-biking.
Tourist attractions
Belém
Along the
Rio Tejo (Tagus River), is the historic neighborhood of Belém. Its prime attraction is the grand Mosteiro dos Jeronimos. Construction started in 1501, and took 70 years to complete. During its construction, the monastery cost an equivalent of of gold each year. Most of the construction costs were financed through the spice trade. It is a prime example of what is called Manueline architecture, with inspiration brought back from the explorations, as well as being influenced by the Gothic and Renaissance periods. Nearby is the
Belem Tower.
Bairro Alto
Bairro Alto (literally
upper quarter in
Portuguese) is an area of central Lisbon. It functions as a residential, shopping and entertainment district. Today, the Bairro Alto is the heart of Lisbon's youth and of the Portuguese capital's nightlife. Lisbon's
Punk,
Gay,
Metal,
Goth,
Hip Hop and
Reggae scenes, all have the Bairro as their home, due to the number of clubs and bars dedicated to each of them. The
fado, Portugal's national song, still survives in the new Lisbon's nightlife. The crowd is a mix of local and tourist, straight and gay, and almost anything else imagined.
Gare do Oriente
Gare do Oriente (Orient Station) is one of the main transportation hubs of Lisbon, for trains, metro, buses and taxis. Its glass and steel columns are reminiscent of palms, making the whole structure fascinating to look at (especially in sunlight or when illuminated at night). It was designed by the architect
Santiago Calatrava from Valencia (Spain). Cross through the shopping mall just across the street and you're in Parque das Nações (Park of the Nations), site of the 1998 World Expo.
Lisbon Trams and Funiculars
Transportation in Lisbon is more charming than in most cities. Much is owed to its geography; much of Lisbon has been
built on its seven hills. No visit to Lisbon is complete without riding the 1930s
trams. The greatest attractions, though, are the
funiculars, of which there are three. These are Elevador da Glória, Elevador da Bica, and Elevador da Lavra. Perhaps the most picturesque is the Elevador da Bica, which passes through a charming residential neighborhood just below Bairro Alto..
Parishes
There are 53
freguesias (
civil parishes) in Lisbon:
| Ajuda (formerly Nossa Senhora da Ajuda)
Alcântara
Alto do Pina
Alvalade
Ameixoeira (formerly Funchal)
Anjos
Beato
Benfica
Campo Grande
Campolide
Carnide
Castelo
Charneca
Coração de Jesus (formerly Camões)
Encarnação
Graça
Lapa
Lumiar
|
Madalena
Mártires
Marvila
Mercês
Nossa Senhora de Fátima
Pena
Penha de França
Prazeres
Sacramento
Santa Catarina
Santa Engrácia (formerly Monte Pedral)
Santa Isabel
Santa Justa
Santa Maria de Belém
Olivais (formerly Santa Maria dos Olivais)
Santiago
Santo Condestável
Santo Estêvão
|
Santos-o-Velho
São Cristóvão e São Lourenço (formerly São Lourenço)
São Domingos de Benfica
São Francisco Xavier
São João
São João de Brito
São João de Deus
São Jorge de Arroios
São José
São Mamede
São Miguel
São Nicolau
São Paulo (formerly Marquês de Pombal)
São Sebastião da Pedreira
São Vicente de Fora (formerly Escolas Gerais)
Sé
Socorro
|
Furthermore, and more commonly referred to by its inhabitants, Lisbon is divided into historical "bairros" with no clearly defined boundaries, such as
Amoreiras,
Bairro Alto,
Bica,
Alfama,
Mouraria,
Avenidas Novas,
Intendente,
Chelas and
Lapa.
Prominent people born in Lisbon
Saint Anthony of Lisbon (1195-1231)
Pope John XXI, born Pedro Julião (1215-1277)
Francisco de Almeida, (1450-1510) Portuguese admiral, the first Viceroy of Portuguese India.
Antonio Vieira (1608-1697), Jesuit
Catherine of Braganza (1638-1705), queen consort of King Charles II of England
Richard William Church (1815-1890)
Fernando Pessoa (1888-1935), poet / writer
Amália Rodrigues (1920-1999), fado / singer
Mário Cesariny (1923-2006), poet
Alexandre O'Neill (1924-1986), poet / writer
Mário Soares (born 1924), politician, former President and Prime-Minister
Paula Rego (born 1935), painter, illustrator and printmaker
Jorge Sampaio (born 1939), politician, former Mayor of Lisbon and President
António Guterres (born 1949), United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, former Prime-Minister
José Manuel Durão Barroso (born 1956), President of the European Commission, former Prime-Minister
Gallery
Image:Torre de Belem 1.JPG|Belém Tower
Image:TelhadosLisboa1.JPG|Baixa and Lisbon Castle
Image:Parque_Eduardo_Setimo.JPG|Edward VII Park
Image:Ponte 25 de Abril 20050728.jpg|25 April Bridge
Image:TeatroNacionalDMariaII.JPG|Teatro Nacional D. Maria II
Image:MonumentoRestauradoresLisboa.JPG|Restauradores Square
Image:Convento_do_Carmo_ruins_in_Lisbon.jpg|Carmo Convent
Image:Lisbon_calcada.jpg|Portuguese pavement
Image:Aqueduto das Águas Livres (1).jpg|Águas Livres Aqueduct
Image:Rossio Lisboa 2007.jpg|Rossio Square
Image:Assembleia Republica Portugal 2.JPG|Assembly of the Republic
Image:Lisboa-Oceanario.jpg|Lisbon Oceanarium
Image:Torre_Vasco_da_Gama_01.JPG|Parque das Nações
Image:Gare_Oriente_Lisboa.JPG|Gare do Oriente
Image:Lisboa_-_Marquês_de_Pombal.jpg|Aerial view
Image:Cloisters at Mosteiro Dos Jerónimos2.jpg|Jerónimos Monastery
Image:Lisbon35.jpg|Alfama
Image:AvLiberdadeLisbon-CCBYSA.jpg|Avenida da Liberdade
Image:LargoCamoesCC-BYSA.jpg|Camões Square
Image:Lisbon05.jpg|Augusta Street
Image:Electricos Lisboa 3.JPG|Lisbon Tram
Image:LisbonChiado2-CCBYSA.jpg|Chiado Square
Image:Conceiçao Velha - Portal Manuelino.JPG|Conceição Church
Sister cities
The following places are sister cities to Lisbon:
Jersey City, United States
Paris, France
Budapest, Hungary (1992)
Zagreb, Croatia (1977)
Madrid, Spain (1979)
Nicosia, Cyprus
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Macau, People's Republic of China
Athens, Greece
Montreal, Canada
Within the context of development cooperation, Lisbon is also linked to:
Belo Horizonte, Brazil
Bissau, Guinea-Bissau
Brasilia, Brazil
Cacheu, Guinea-Bissau
Luanda, Angola
Malacca, Malaysia (1984)
Maputo, Mozambique
Praia, Cape Verde
Rabat, Morocco'
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (1980)
São Paulo, Brazil
São Tomé, São Tomé and PríncipeFurther Information
Get more info on 'Lisbon'.
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