I have been having so much fun! Arrived in Lisbon this week, and I must say its been a thrill discovering this beautiful city.
I like to start my first day in a new country or city with a tour of the highlights and key local landmarks.. Lisbon tour operators offer some fun Tuk Tuk tours, which can easily weave through old neighbourhoods characterized by cobble stone and narrow streets.
One unique characteristic of Lisbon is that it is known as the City of Seven Hills. Nothing is flat here, except for a small strip of land parallel to the river. Our guide took us to each of them, so we could admire the viewpoints, and also learn about the uniqueness of each one : São Jorge – São Roque – São Vincente – Santo André – Santa Catarina – Sant’Ana – Chagas. Because of these hills, Lisboans are in great shape! They get around their city using the steep inclines, and the many stone staircases that appear between two buildings, as short cuts.
No one ever complains about the views in Lisbon.
Lisbon is a bustling city. The people are outside, talking with a neighbour, standing in the doorway of a shop, or sitting at the table of the many cafes. Others are walking, enjoying the many squares and parks. It feels like a relaxed city, with no worries, and no concerns.
Even our guide was not stressed, as she waved thank you to the many drivers we encountered who gave her priority. I don’t think many of us would volunteer to drive in Lisbon. It feels a lot like Florence or Rome. The drivers go fast, the scooters weave in between cars, the buses and trucks take up the entire lane, and then unbelievably, a scooter squeezes past. Still – as a passenger, I was distracted by the sidewalks, many artistically arranged with cobblestone.
Marcia – our guide told us stories of the monarchies, and the palaces they built. She loves her city, even if she doesn’t know what the population is for sure (I looked it up and was astonished that it was not more than 545,923), and she may have been a little shaky in other details, but, she gave us enough background on two specific topics – The Works and legacy of the Marquess de Pombal, and the earthquake of 1755.
There was a major earthquake in Lisbon in 1755, which destroyed 85% of the city. It rattled the city on November 1st, and in combination with subsequent fires and a tsunami, the earthquake almost completely destroyed the city and adjoining areas. Seismologists estimate the Lisbon earthquake had a magnitude of 7.7.
Eighty-five percent of Lisbon’s buildings were destroyed, including famous palaces and libraries, as well as most examples of Portugal’s 16th-century architecture. Several buildings that had suffered little earthquake damage were destroyed by the subsequent fire. The new Lisbon opera house which had opened just seven months before, burned to the ground. The Royal Palace was destroyed by the earthquake and tsunami. Inside, the 70,000-volume royal library was lost, as well as hundreds of works of art. The royal archives disappeared together with detailed historical records of explorations by Vasco da Gama and other early navigators.
The royal family escaped unharmed from the catastrophe having left the city, after attending Mass at sunrise. However the catastrophe traumatized the King and he developed a fear of living within walls. The Royal court was accommodated in a huge complex of tents and pavilions in the hills on the outskirts of Lisbon. The king never overcame his claustrophobia and it was only after his death that his daughter Maria 1 of Portugal began building the royal palace at Ajuda, which still stands on the site of the old tented camp.
Like the king, the prime minister Sebastiao de Melo (1st Marquiess of Pombal) survived the earthquake. When asked what was to be done, Pombal reportedly replied “bury the dead and heal the living”
In less than a year, the city was cleared of debris. Keen to have a new and perfectly ordered city, the king commissioned the construction of big squares, rectilinear, large avenues and widened streets – the new mottos of Lisbon. Those big squares such as Praca do Rossio and the Praca do Comercio are indeed quite impressive and numerous, and as we witnessed, enjoyed still by the people of Lisbon.
As a result of the earthquake, the Pombaline buildings as they are known, are among the earliest seismically protected constructions in Europe. Small wooden models were built for testing, and earthquakes were simulated to ensure they would withstand another such event.
Our guide impressed upon us how the Marquess of Pombal was obsessed with absolute power and he led Portugal’s recovery from the earthquake but also enjoyed the King’s favouritism and as such reformed the kingdom’s administrative, economic, and ecclesiastical institutions. During his lengthy ministerial career, Pombal accumulated and exercised autocratic power – which is how he is mostly remembered and referred to.
Travelling is a lesson in geography, history, language, culture, art and architecture. The information we take in over the span of 2-3 hours is overwhelming at times. I was eager to share my first discovery of Lisbon and Portugal in this blog, because it allows me to process what I learned, and connect dots with other pieces of history I accumulated over time.
