Attractions

One of Lisbon’s most emblematic sqaures is Praça do Comércio. Better known by locals as Terreiro do Paço, since it was once where the paço, or palace, used to stand before the earthquake in 1755, it is one of the largest squares in Europe.

As a symbol of the city, it provides access to various attractions that mustn’t be missed: Pátio da Galé; Cais das Colunas; and the innovative Lisbon Story Centre.

You should also climb up the Arco da Rua Augusta to marvel at the symmetry of the streets, the calçada portuguesa and the view of the river.

Take a rest at the feet of King José I and the imposing horse Gentil, a statue sculpted by Machado de Castro which so well illustrates royal power and the nobility of the Lusitano breed.

Make Praça do Comércio your starting point for discovering the city.

Portuguese paving, calçada portuguesa, is one of Lisbon’s trademarks.

Playing a huge role in creating the city’s special atmosphere, as it reflects all of the light that falls on it, it is also one of the oldest features of the city.

Made using limestone cubes shaped and placed by hand by skilful craftsmen, the designs can be geometric, figurative or specific depending on the particular location and the tastes of the time.

Enjoy the undulating pattern in Avenida da Liberdade or stand back and observe the symmetry of the design in Chiado.

It’s worth walking down the same street twice, once to look at the buildings and another to discover the impressive designs on the ground.

This triumphal arch in Rua Augusta has always impressed those roaming Lisbon’s busiest pedestrianised street.

But now you can visit the top of this unique structure for a truly singular and impressive view of Baixa and the river. It symbolises the rebirth of a new Lisbon after the tragedy of the earthquake, fire and tsunami in 1755 that razed what stood before.

And it affirms, in Latin, “The Virtues of the Greatest”: the strength, resilience and achievements of the Portuguese people.

At the top stand the sculptures by Célestin Anatole Calmels of Glory crowning Genius and Valour. You can’t help but be inspired by these values as you admire the 360º view of the best Lisbon has to offer. The remaining statues, by Victor Bastos, represent figures of our history. On the left we find the Marquis of Pombal, the following are Vasco da Gama and Viriato and, on the right, Nuno Álvares Pereira.

Discover the history of this arch in the exhibition in the Clock Room for a sense of what it stands for.

The Elevador de Santa Justa is one of the city’s most famous sights.

Designed by Mesnier du Ponsard, it was originally called the Ascensor Ouro-Carmo.

It connects Rua do Ouro to Largo do Carmo via a neogothic-style structure completely unlike any of the other elevadores in the city.

The lifts themselves, made of wood elegantly decorated with brass, evoke a journey in time as they ascend and descend towards the most exclusive areas of the city.

At the top of the tower is one of the best viewing points in the city, providing a splendid panorama of Baixa, Castelo, the Tagus and also the impressive ruins of the church of the Convento do Carmo.

It’s worth a ride to feel a surge of emotion at the view which extends before your eyes.

MAAT – Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology – is the new cultural project for the city of Lisbon. It’s a museum where these three areas intertwine within a space of debate, discovery, critical thinking and international dialogue. It’s an innovative project which establishes a connection between the new building, designed by Amanda Levete Architects’ studio and the Tejo Power Station, one of Portugal’s most prominent examples of industrial architecture from the first half of the 20th century, and one of the most visited museums in the country.

The Jerónimos Monastery is a National Monument and was classified a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983.

King Manuel I built a large monastery near the location where the Infante D. Henrique ordered a church to be built in the mid-15th century by invocation of St. Mary of Belém.

To immortalise the memory of the Infante, for his intense devotion to Our Lady and faith in St. Jerome, in 1496 King Manuel I decided to found the Monastery of St. Mary of Belém, near the city of Lisbon, next to the Tagus River.

Donated to the monks of the Order of St. Jerome, today it is commonly known as the Jerónimos Monastery.

A pantheon of the Avis-Beja Dynasty, in the 19th century the church became the sepulchre for heroes and poets: Vasco da Gama and Luís de Camões.

A notable work of architecture, it became part of Portuguese identity and culture.

The Belém Tower, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is one of Lisbon’s most striking monuments and the icon of a country historically moulded by its proximity to the ocean and its maritime discoveries of new worlds.

Discoveries by Portuguese navigators transformed Lisbon into the world’s main trade hub in the 15th and 16th centuries.

To protect the city, King João II conceived a pioneer project to defend Lisbon from enemy ships, a work completed in 1514 and which included the building of the Belém Tower, designed by architect Francisco de Arruda.

The tower’s unique design includes a modern and heavily armed bastion, protruding over the river.

King Manuel I clearly wished the Belém Tower to stand as a lasting symbol of his powerful reign by depicting the royal coat of arms, the armillary sphere and the cross of the Order of Christ.

The Jerónimos Monastery is a National Monument and was classified a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983.

King Manuel I built a large monastery near the location where the Infante D. Henrique ordered a church to be built in the mid-15th century by invocation of St. Mary of Belém.

To immortalise the memory of the Infante, for his intense devotion to Our Lady and faith in St. Jerome, in 1496 King Manuel I decided to found the Monastery of St. Mary of Belém, near the city of Lisbon, next to the Tagus River.

Donated to the monks of the Order of St. Jerome, today it is commonly known as the Jerónimos Monastery.

A pantheon of the Avis-Beja Dynasty, in the 19th century the church became the sepulchre for heroes and poets: Vasco da Gama and Luís de Camões.

A notable work of architecture, it became part of Portuguese identity and culture.