During the Neolithic period, the Lisbon area was inhabited by Iberian tribes. They built several megalithic monuments the remnants of which are still found in the fields around the city. The history of Lisbon is tempestuous and full of bright and dark moments. Due to its location the city has suffered many losses. Lisbon also boasts some truly extraordinary attractions emerged over centuries. Below is a list of the most interesting historic places in downtown Lisbon.
1) Restauradores Square
Restauradores Square is a public square in the city of Lisbon. It is located at the southeast end of Avenida da Liberdade, near Rossio square. The square is dedicated to the restoration of the independence of Portugal in 1640, after 60 years of Spanish domination. The obelisk in the middle of the square, inaugurated in 1886, carries the names and dates of the battles fought during the Portuguese Restoration War, in 1640. The monument was designed by António Tomás da Fonseca, with statues symbolising "Independence" and "Victory" by sculptors Simões de Almeida and Alberto Nunes. The rectangular square is surrounded by 19th and early 20th century buildings. The most remarkable are the Palácio Foz, a palace built between the 18th and 19th centuries and boasting magnificently decorated interiors, and the old Éden Cinema (now a hotel), with a beautiful Art Deco façade dating from the 1930s, a work by architect Cassiano Branco.
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2) São Domingos Church
The Church of São Domingos is located to the right of the National Theater in Lisbon. It is said that this church is either blessed or cursed, as it has experienced and survived fires and earthquakes. This church has a high altar supported by red marble columns. Another prominent feature of the church is the sacristy, which for many years held the remains of King Afonso III.
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3) Figueira Square
Figueira Square was once the site of Hospital de Todos os Santos. Designed by the Marquis of Pombal, the square was to become a main market area of Lisbon. In 1885, an indoor market was built here, but later - in 1949 - was demolished. A bronze equestrian statue of King John I was set in the square in 1971. The square draws flocks of pigeons and big crowds of teenagers on skates. It is surrounded with four-storied buildings that house shops, hotels and cafes.
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4) Rossio Square
Located in the Pombaline area of downtown Lisbon, this square has been the nerve center of the city for more than six centuries now. The square used to house the Holy Office headquarters and was the place where the Jews condemned by the Inquisition were burnt. On the north side of the square is the Teatro Nacional D. Maria II, a monumental building with a portico that has six Iconic columns. The statue of D. Pedro IV, the 28th king of Portugal, is the central figure in the square.
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5) Carmo Convent
The Carmo Convent is a monument located in the city of Lisbon. The Carmo Convent is located on a hill overlooking the Rossiosquare and facing the Lisbon Castle hill. It is located in front of a quiet square, very close to the Santa Justa Lift. The Carmo Convent and its Church were built between 1389 and 1423 in the plain Gothic style typical for the mendicant religious orders. Compared to the other Gothic churches of the city, the Carmo Church was said to be the most imposing in its architecture and decoration. The church has a Latin cross floorplan. The main facade has a portal with several archivolts and capitals decorated with vegetal and anthropomorphic motifs. The old convent, located to the right of the facade, has been rebuilt in neo-Gothic style in the early 20th century.
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6) Chafariz do Carmo
The Chafariz do Carmo is one of the several public fountains built in the city throughout the 15th-18th centuries to solve the acute problem of water supply. One of the most remarkable fountains, it is located in Largo do Carmo, beside the convent of the same name. Built in 1769, it was designed by Field Marshal Don Miguel Angelo de Blasco. The fountain is enclosed within a porch supported by four majestic pillars and was built on an aqueduct that carried water to the city.
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7) Santa Justa Lift
The Santa Justa Lift is a lift in the city of Lisbon situated at the end of Rua de Santa Justa. It connects the lower streets of the Baixa with the higher Largo do Carmo. The Santa Justa Lift was designed by Raul Mesnier de Ponsard. Construction began in 1900 and was finished in 1902; originally powered by steam, it was converted to electrical operation in 1907. The iron lift is decorated in neogothicstyle, with a different pattern on each storey. The top storey is reached by helicoidal staircases and has a terrace that offers views of Lisbon Castle, the Rossio Square and the Baixa neighbourhood. There are two lift cages, each with a wooden interior and accommodation for a maximum of 20 passengers. The lift has become a tourist attraction in Lisbon as, among the urban lifts in Lisbon, Santa Justa is the only vertical one.
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8) Praca do Comercio
The Praça do Comércio is situated near the Tagus River. The square is still commonly known as Terreiro do Paço, because it was the location of the Paços da Ribeira (Royal Ribeira Palace) until the building was destroyed by the great 1755 Lisbon Earthquake. After the earthquake, the square was completely remodeled as part of the rebuilding of downtown Pombaline by order of the Marquis of Pombal. The square was renamed Praça do Comércio, the Square of Commerce, to indicate its new role in the economy of Lisbon.
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9) Lisbon Cathedral
Santa Maria Maior de Lisboa or Sé de Lisboa is the Cathedral of Lisbon and the oldest church in the city. Since the cathedral construction began in 1147, the building has been modified several times and has survived many earthquakes. Today, it is a mix of different architectural styles. During the 17th century, a fine sacristy was built in the Baroque style, and after 1755, the main chapel (including the tombs of King Afonso IV and his family) was rebuilt in the Neoclassical and Rococo styles. Machado de Castro, Portugal's foremost sculptor in the late 18th century, is the creator of a magnificent crib in the Gothic chapel of Bartomoleu Joanes. In the beginning of the 20th century, much of the Neoclassical decoration from the interior and exterior of the cathedral was removed to give the cathedral a more "medieval" appearance.
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10) Castle of Saint George
The Castle of São Jorge is a Portuguese castle that occupies a commanding position overlooking the city of Lisbon, the capital of Portugal, and the broad Tagus River beyond. The strongly-fortified citadel, which, in its present configuration, dates from medieval times, is located atop the highest hill in the historic center of the city. The castle is one of the main historical and touristic sites of Lisbon. The castle's footprint is roughly square in shape, and it was originally encircled by a wall, to form a citadel. The castle complex consists of the castle proper (thecastelejo), some ancillary buildings (including the ruins of the royal palace), gardens, and a large terraced square from which impressive panoramas of Lisbon are afforded. The main entrance to the citadel is a 19th-century gate surmounted by the coat-of-arms of Portugal, the name of Queen Maria II, and the date, 1846.
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