t Bustling Praça do Comércio, dominated by a huge statue of King José I
The beautiful riverfront Praça do Comércio is a vast square with shady arcades on three sides and the wide expanse of the Tagus lapping at its southern edge. It was the centrepiece of the Marquês de Pombal’s post-earthquake redesign of the city, and today remains a lively gathering place that hosts cultural events and festivals throughout the year.
t Bustling Praça do Comércio, dominated by a huge statue of King José I
Experience Baixa And Avenida
t The colonnade and archways around the square’s edges provide a cool place to stroll.
Known to locals as Terreiro do Paço (Palace Square), this huge open space was the site of the royal palace for 400 years. Manuel I transferred the royal residence from Castelo de São Jorge to this more convenient spot by the river in 1511. When the original palace was destroyed in the 1755 earthquake, Pombal housed the new palace in spacious arcaded buildings around three sides of the square. On the fourth side, grand marble steps stretch down to the water’s edge.
Highlights of the square include a huge bronze statue of King José I, the impressive Arco da Rua Augusta on the north side and the Lisbon Story Centre, an interactive museum exploring events in the city’s history.
The Praça do Comércio has been the scene of major events through-out Lisbon’s history. On 1 February 1908, King Carlos and his son Luís Felipe were assassinated as they passed through the square, an event that eventually led to the abolition of the monarchy and declaration of the Republic two years later. Then in 1974, the square saw the first uprising of the Armed Forces Movement, whose soldiers – sporting carnations in their rifles – overthrew the Caetano regime in a bloodless revolution.
The Martinho da Arcada, set in a corner of the square, is Lisbon’s oldest café.