Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Of Lisbon's 270,000 citizens, up to 90,000 may have perished. Besides leveling
the city, the quake shook conservative Portugal's moral and spiritual underpinnings.
Had God punished Lisbon for the Inquisition killings carried out on nearby Praça do
Comércio?
King José I was so affected by the earthquake that he moved his entire court to an
elaborate complex of tents in the foothills of Belém and resisted living indoors for the
rest of his life.
This earthquake, one of the most violent in recorded history, was the first one to be
studied methodically, marking the beginning of the science of seismology.
• At Rua da Vitoria, turn right and walk to Rua da Prata, where you'll see the camou-
flaged...
ChurchofSt.Nicola(IgrejadeSãoNicolau):
Notice how its church-like facade
was allowed, but the entire green-tiled side is disguised as just another stretch of post-
earthquake Baixa architecture. The monument in front of the church honors the city's tile-
makers.
• Head left down Rua da Prata toward the statue marking Praça da Figueira. At Rua
de Santa Justa, look left for a good view of Elevador de Santa Justa before continuing
straight to the square.
PraçadaFigueira(“FigTreeSquare”):
This was the site of a huge hospital des-
troyed in the earthquake. With no money to replace the hospital, the space was left open
until the late 1880s, when it was filled with a big iron-framed market (similar to Bar-
celona's La Boqueria). That structure was torn down decades ago, leaving the square you
see today. The big building on the left is run-down—after 50 years of rent control, many
landowners are demoralized and do nothing to fix up their property. Buildings are often
either vacant or occupied by old pensioners living out their lives amid increasingly de-
crepit conditions. By contrast, the right side (under the castle) is more lived-in and vi-
brant.
The nearby
Confit Nacional
shop is a venerable palace of sweets little changed since
the 19th century. In the window is a display of “
conventuel
sweets”—special nun-made
treats often consisting of sugar and egg yolks (historically, the nuns used the egg whites
to starch their laundry). For a great budget snack or meal in a classic local scene, find
the recommended
CasaBrasileira
(100 yards from the square at Rua Augusta 265, daily
7:00-24:00). Their fast, cheap lunch deals are served only at the bar. And their
pastel de
nata
(custard tart pastries) are as tasty as those that people line up for in Belém.
