Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Rossio:
Lisbon's historic center, Rossio, is still the city's bustling cultural heart.
Given its elongated shape, historians believe it was a Roman racetrack 2,000 years ago;
these days, cars circle the loop instead of chariots. It's home to the colonnaded National
Theater, a McDonald's, and street vendors who can shine your shoes, laminate your doc-
uments, and sell you cheap watches, autumn chestnuts, and lottery tickets. The column
in the square's center honors Pedro IV—king of Portugal and emperor of Brazil. (Many
maps refer to the square as Praça Dom Pedro IV, but residents always just call it Rossio,
referring to the train station at one corner.)
Rossio, once the site of Lisbon's 16th-century slave market, is now a meeting point for
the city's black community—immigrants from former Portuguese colonies such as An-
gola, Mozambique, and Portuguese Guinea. From here you can see the Elevador de Santa
Justa and the ruined convent breaking the city skyline. Notice the fine stone patterns in
the pavement—evoking waves encountered by the great explorers—which once upon a
time made locals seasick.
• Crossing the square in front of the National Theater, you see Rossio Station.
