The sun, the ocean, port wine, sailors, pirates and football - such an associative array is built at the mention of this country and its main, oldest city in Europe and the capital of Portugal. Photos of Lisbon and its attractions are presented in the article.
Geography
Lisbon is located on seven hills along the Tagus River and is the westernmost capital city in Europe, only the Atlantic Ocean is farther. They say that there are actually more hills, but you can't argue with the legends.
The port of Lisbon is one of the main ports of the Atlantic, which has been operating since the 15th century. The port serves more than 3.5 thousand ships per year.
History
The first millennium BC - this period is considered the beginning of the birth of the city, on the territory of which the Celts lived and the Phoenicians were engaged in trade. Came in the VI century BC. e. the Greeks changed the Phoenician name for the settlement of Allis Ubbo to Ollisipon, which can be conditionally considered the former capital of Portugal.
In the IV-III centuries BC. e. Lusitanians settled here, conquered by Rome in the 2nd century BC. e. In the 1st century BC e. Ollissipo became part of the Roman province of Lusitania. Proclaimed main religionChristianity, and the first bishop was Potamius. This period was the heyday of the city. Fortified walls were erected around the city, inside - a theater, baths, temples dedicated to the gods. Trade in wine, s alt, garum fish sauce was in full swing.
The collapse of the Roman Empire after 409 AD. e. initiated the raids of the barbarians. In 585, the Germans who occupied the city called it Ulisbon. The Arabs came in 711. In 868, during the reconquest of the Iberian Peninsula by Christians (Reconquista), the County of Portugal was formed, which in 1143 became an independent kingdom. And the capital of Portugal, Lisbon, got its name in 1225.
XVI century became golden in the literal sense - the precious metal flowed generously from colonized Brazil. For 100 years, 1000 tons of gold and 3 million carats of diamonds have been mined.
In the years 1580-1640, Portugal was ruled by Spain, but eventually managed to gain independence. An earthquake, tsunami and fire in 1755 destroyed the city, which was later rebuilt.
Lisbon was not bypassed by Napoleon's army at the beginning of the 19th century. In 1910, the monarchy was overthrown in the country and Portugal was declared a republic.
Attractions
The rich history of the country, where residential buildings can be freely given the status of a monument of architecture, has created the image of the city - the capital of Portugal. Medieval buildings and the latest constructions - everything is here: from traces of pterodactyl to modern galleries. On the first Sunday of the month, the State Museums of Lisbon can be visitedabsolutely free.
Saint George's Castle
The iconic fortress of the capital of Portugal, Lisbon, rises on a high hill and is visible from anywhere in the city. This fortification has served since the Roman era. It was completed and rebuilt by the Arabs, the Crusaders. At first, the fortress was called Cerca Fernandina. At the end of the 14th century, the castle was named after St. George, the patron saint of knights.
The walls of the palace saw the weddings of monarchs, royal receptions, there was an archive with important documentation. Later, the fortress lost its importance and was destroyed by several earthquakes. Today, some of the surviving fragments fit into the architecture of the city, some became the basis for new buildings.
The reward for a long climb through the narrow streets is a magnificent view of the city and the river from above, and peacocks wandering lazily among the walls will become companions on the walk.
Torri di Belen
The castle of Torri di Belen was built on the right side of the Tagus River. This tower was built in 1521 in connection with the opening of a sea route to India. The main function is protection from attacks by filibusters and troops from neighboring states. The convenient position in front of the entrance to the harbor was an ideal point for firing at the enemy. It was also used as a gunpowder warehouse, a place of detention for prisoners, a lighthouse and a customs office. For modern Portugal, Torri di Belen is a symbol of the city and a reminder of the contribution of sailor ancestors to the discovery and exploration of new lands.
The construction of the tower was connected by a curiousstory. In 1514, the Portuguese King Manuel I was presented with a gift from the Indian Sultan of Gujarat - a two-ton rhinoceros. After an unsuccessful attempt to organize a battle with an elephant that refused to participate in this event, a rhinoceros in a green velvet collar was sent as a present to the Pope. Unfortunately, the ship could not cope with the elements and sank off the coast of Genoa. The figure of a rhinoceros is still a support for one of the turrets of the castle.
Today, Torri di Belen is a cultural heritage site and is open to all comers.
Cathedral
In Portuguese, the cathedral is simply Sé (Se), from the Latin Sedis Patriarchal. According to archaeologists, a Roman temple stood in this place, which became a Christian church in the 4th-5th centuries, which was later destroyed to build a mosque.
The mosque also did not last very long, in 1150 a new temple with a fortress for Christians was built instead. He became the basis for the cathedral in the form in which it exists today. Both nature, with the help of natural disasters, and masters in the baroque, rococo, gothic and neoclassical periods, by adding elements corresponding to the era, made changes to its appearance.
Visitors of the cathedral will be interested to see the collection of the treasury, which is presented in the south tower.
According to legend, the patron saint of the capital of Portugal, Saint Antonio, was baptized in the Lisbon Cathedral. Nowadays, every year on the feast of St. Antonio, the city authorities choosetwelve couples to get married in this temple and pay all expenses from the city budget.
Jeronymite Monastery in Belene
Mosteiro dos Jerónimos is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The monastery was built on the outskirts of the Portuguese capital Santa Maria di Belen in the 16th century as a gratitude to the Virgin Mary in connection with the expedition of Vasco da Gama to India. The construction was completed by 1600, after which the monks of the Order of St. Jerome settled here, offering prayers for all sailors.
Kings Manuel I and Juan III, the legendary traveler Vasco da Gama and the poet Fernando Pessoa are buried in this place.
The Maritime and National Archaeological Museums are located in the western part.
Statue of Christ
The statue with outstretched arms, 28 meters high, is located on the banks of the Tagus River on a 75-meter base set on a cliff (113 meters above sea level). The object is perfectly visible from any place in the city. This is a full-fledged complex, which, in addition to the monument, includes the chapels of the Holy Virgin Mary and the Confidantes of Jesus, a library, exhibition areas.
The statue of Christ was built over ten years (from 1949 to 1959) with donations from Portuguese women whose fathers, husbands and sons were spared the need to take part in World War II.
In one of the columns of the pedestal, a lifting device is hidden to deliver those who wish to the observation deck, from which the whole of Lisbon opens in full view. Today the statue of Christ is placed onall photos of Lisbon (capital of Portugal). The object has rightfully become one of the main symbols of the city.
Vasco da Gama Bridge
The longest bridge in Europe (more than 17 kilometers) across the Tagus was built in the capital of Portugal. It happened in 1998 for the world exhibition Expo 98 and timed to coincide with the 500th anniversary of the opening of the sea route to India.
The design and construction of the bridge took into account many technical nuances, thanks to which the structure is able to withstand even in the event of an earthquake of maximum power.
National Museum of Ancient Art
Works by Bosch, Dürer, Raphael, Ribera, Velasquez, Francisco de Zurbaran and other famous painters can be seen at the National Museum of Ancient Art in Lisbon, which houses a collection of important Portuguese and European art from the 14th to the early 19th century.
The museum's gallery is constantly replenished by patrons: the list of donors includes Queen Carlotta Joaquina and oil tycoon Calouste Gulbenkian. To date, the funds include more than two thousand works of art.
National Museum of Costume and Fashion
The history of costume, menswear, childrenswear and womenswear can be traced at the National Museum of Costume and Fashion, which opened its doors in 1977. Today it is recognized as one of the best in Europe. The collection consists of 40 thousand exhibits - original items of all types from different eras, from the 17th century to the present. Behind the museum there is a botanical garden, which will be a nice addition tovisit to the museum.
Pena Palace
The original idea of a pseudo-medieval palace came to the head of Prince Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, who brought it to life in 1840 (already in the status of King Ferdinand II) and used it as a summer royal residence. The architectural style of the castle is a bizarre mixture of Gothic, Renaissance with oriental domes and minarets. The terraces and turrets of the palace are conducive to leisurely walks.
Monument to Dr. Sousa Martins
Around the monument to Dr. Sousa Martins there are always a large number of flowers and signs with thank you notes. A talented, enthusiastic physician, all his life he was looking for a cure for tuberculosis and treated the sick, without dividing into rich and poor. Ironically, he contracted tuberculosis himself and died at the age of 54 by suicide. After his death, the authorities decided to open a tuberculosis clinic.
Alafama Area
You can go back a couple of centuries by visiting one of the oldest quarters of the city called Alfama, presumably from the Arabic al-hamma ("baths", "sources"). As far back as the 16th century, baths with water from thermal springs functioned in this area, which were used not only for water supply, but also for medicinal purposes.
Alfama occupies the foot of two hills, on the territory of this area are: the Cathedral, the castle of St. George, the churches of St. Stephen and St. Vicente.
In addition to what has been proposed, the capital of Portugal has many other interesting places: the Marquis of Pombal Square, the Restorers Square, the Monte Agudo observation deck in the São Jorge de Arroos area, the National Carriage Museum, the Church of St. Vincent, Turel Garden. Therefore, the choice of a country for a traveler who appreciates beauty in all its manifestations is obvious.
