The September Travel Book
Best of Lisbon from Lonely Planet
CASTELO DE SÃO JORGE
The intriguing sight of St George's Castle, prettily perched on top of Lisbon's highest hill and splendidly lit at night, is what lures most visitors here. Its extraordinary history, told through the slick multimedia show, Olisipónia, is compelling. But it's really the spectacular views of the city and Rio Tejo (Tagus River) below that are most engaging. The castle's first foundations were laid in 138 BC but it wasn't until the Moors arrived in 711,remaining settled for the next 400 years, that the citadel was fortified and a mosque was built. After the dramatic four-month Siege of Lisbon (1147) the fortress was sacked and recaptured by the Christian crusaders on their way to the Holy Land. The Castelo was transformed into a royal residence by King Afonso, but sadly went to ruin in the 17th century after a more sumptuous palace was built on Praça do Comércio. Stroll through the leafy courtyards of olive and cork trees (once home to the Moorish elite, now inhabited by birds) and amble along the ramparts while admiring the views. Leave time to explore the atmospheric cobblestone streets of the charming Santa Cruz neighbourhood within the castle walls.
SÉ CATHEDRAL
Victorious King Afonso built this sanctimonious Romanesque cathedral after the 1147 Siege of Lisbon, on the site of the Moor's main mosque. Although this somewhat imposing structure is rock-solid in appearance, looks are deceiving – the Sé (meaning ‘See' or ‘Seat of a Bishop') experienced major damage during several tremors and was then destroyed in the 1755 earthquake, and there is little that remains of King Joao's wonderful 18th-century embellishments. The proud cathedral is austere in overall appearance and the renovated nave becomes rather spooky when light and shadow have their way. But it's really the fine details and flourishes that are most memorable, such as the pretty stained-glass ‘rose window' and the wonderful hand-carved 14th-century sarcophagi. The crumbling 13th-century Gothic cloister houses extensive archaeological excavations, which include Roman stonework, a medieval cistern and some Moorish foundations. The restored treasury contains some arresting illustrated manuscripts, pieces in silver, statues and robes. There are also relics here that Afonso brought to Lisbon in 1173 in a boat that, according to legend, was piloted by two ravens. They say the ravens' descendants protected the church, until the last one sadly died recently.
MOSTEIRO DOS JERÓNIMOS
The flamboyance that typifies Manueline architecture reflected the extravagance of the time, especially that of Dom Manuel I himself, who commissioned the construction of this marvellous mosteiro (monastery) to celebrate Vasco da Gama's triumphant return following his discovery of the sea route to India. It was fitting that a ‘pepper tax' on income from
the spice trade helped finance the lavish project. Although building of the monastery began in 1501 (on the site of a riverside chapel where da Gama and his men prayed before sailing), it wasn't finished until 1541. The water has long since receded. Early work followed Diogo de Boitaca's Gothic plans, but after his death in 1517 Spaniard João de Castilho gave the design a Renaissance flavour. Successive embellishments came with classical touches from Diogo de Torralva and Jerónimo de Ruão. In the 19th century a bell tower and enormous neo-Manueline wing were added to house the Order of St Jerome monks, whose mission was to pray for the souls of kings and sailors. Dedicated to the Virgin Mary, who is also known as St Mary of Bethlehem (Belém), this wonderful mosteiro, with its spectacular vaulting, golden stone cloisters and intricately carved columns, is the finest example of the high-spirited Manueline style, and has become a Unesco World Heritage site.
BELÉM
Beautiful Belém is arguably the most pleasurable place to spend a day in Lisbon, with its great waterside location, absorbing museums, exuberant architecture, grand squares and exotic tropical gardens. Not to mention all those sunny outdoor restaurants and tasty pastéis de Belém (custard tarts) to reward your efforts! Every intricately carved brick and azulejo (hand-painted tile) is imbued with the exciting spirit of Portugal's Age of Discovery. If only these Manueline walls could talk! After all it was from Belém's shores that many of the world's greatest adventurers – Magellan, Bartolomeu Dias, Pedro Alvares
Cabral, Vasco da Gama – set sail and where their seafaring achievements were celebrated in style. Most people come to see the elaborate Manueline architecture of the Mosteiro dos Jerónimos as well as its fascinating resident museums, Museu de Marinha (p22) and Museu Nacional de Arqueologia (p23). However, no two structures symbolise Portugal's maritime success more than the splendid Torre de Belém (p26) and its dramatic neighbour, the Padrão dos Descobrimentos (Monument to the Discoveries; p26), both of which are equally as enjoyable to visit. When you're done exploring, rest your weary legs with the peacocks
under Jardim Botânico da Ajuda's shady palms.
ALFAMA
Lively Alfama – with its jumble of steep, narrow cobbled lanes, jammed with skinny houses with lines of fluttering laundry strung between them – is more Arabic than European. Alfama's 400 years of rich Moorish heritage is evident in more than just its medina-like streets – its name derives from the Arabic al-hama, meaning ‘bath', and is inspired by the hot springs near Largo das Alcaçarias. This vibrant enclave skirting Castelo de São Jorge is Lisbon's oldest. After the Christian reconquest of Lisbon, King Afonso rebuilt the castle into a royal residence, making Alfama a desirable address. Although its wealthy inhabitants moved away for fear of imminent earthquakes, Alfama's solid foundations, built into one big rock, meant that it stayed largely intact after the 1755 calamity. After the rich moved out, the working class moved in – mostly fishing-folk because of its proximity to the ports – giving this colourful neighbourhood the animated atmosphere it has today. While there are interesting museums and charming churches to explore, it's just as pleasurable to wander the streets. Drop in to the friendly hole-in-the-wall grocery stores, haggle for bric-a-brac in the flea market, take lunch in traditional tavernas, and chill out with the kissing couples and old men playing cards on the miradouros (vantage points) with marvellous views of Lisbon and the Tejo.
MUSEU CALOUSTE GULBENKIAN
Almost as intriguing as this superb museum's outstanding collection of art is the man who bequeathed it to the Portuguese nation, along with a charitable foundation. Born in Istanbul in 1869, Calouste Sarkis Gulbenkian was a very wealthy, and generous, Armenian oil magnate. Looking for neutral territory during WWII,he moved to Portugal and made his home there. Living in Lisbon's Hotel Aviz for a decade, he became one of the 20th century's most generous and astute philanthropists. Gulbenkian's greatest coup was buying art from St Petersburg's Hermitage Museum in the late 1920s, when the new Soviet Union needed cash. The finest museum in Lisbon (and one of the best in Europe) displays an exquisite and eclectic collection spanning every major epoch of Western and Eastern art. The building's sleek, purpose-built structure houses over 6000 pieces (of which only 1500 can be exhibited at any one time), and is wonderfully designed with light-filled rooms and surrounding tranquil
gardens. The rich collection of works includes Egyptian treasures, such as a 2700-year-old alabaster bowl, classical objects including Hellenic coins and Roman glassware; Oriental art, carpets, textiles and ceramics. The museum houses much European art from the 14th to 19th centuries, with impressive work by Rembrandt, Van Dyck, Rubens, Gainsborough, Turner, Rodin, Manet, Monet and Renoir, along with French furnishings, decorative art, glassware and incredible jewellery.
CENTRO DE ARTE MODERNA
Gallery- goers will appreciate this consummate collection of modern and contemporary Portuguese art at the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation's stunning Modern Art Centre, which adjoins Museu Calouste Gulbenkian (p13). In 1983, when the museum first opened in its dazzling lightfilled home, it was Lisbon's first exhibition space solely devoted to Portuguese art. Remaining the country's most important space for this purpose, it shows around 300 of 6000 works at any one time. The Centro de Arte Moderno's exhibits encompass drawing, painting, sculpture, photography, video and installation. The permanent collection here includes many names synonymous with Portugal's modern-art movement. These include artists such as Amadeo de Souza Cardoso (a friend of Modigliani's whose work is characterised by experimentation in cubism, abstractionism, futurism and expressionism) and José de Almada Negreiros (the postcubist and abstract artist, who was formerly a dancer, graphic designer, illustrator and novelist, and who also experimented with tapestry, tiles and mosaic!). The museum's Modern Art Centre prides itself on its collection featuring artists who had close ties with or were influences on Portuguese artists, such as Sonia and David Delaunay. Its other great claim is its collection of modern British art from the
last 40 years of the 20th century, including work by David Hockney, Antony Gormley and Julian Opie. Another, unusual, highlight is a small but insightful Armenian collection – keep a look out for artist Arshile Gorky.
MUSEU NACIONAL DE ARTE ANTIGA
Lisbon has historically seen itself as Europe's gateway to the world and nowhere is this more apparent than in the National Museum of Ancient Art, a splendid collection spanning seven centuries of art, from 12th century Portuguese developments to 19th-century romanticism. Explorers, traders and missionaries set sail from Belém's shores and their journeys, encounters in new lands and arrivals home were all imagined and recreated in paintings, drawings and sculptures. The most coveted document of the Age of Discovery is Nuno Gonçalves' altarpiece, Adoration of St Vincent, featuring King Afonso V, Queen Isabel and Henry the Navigator and other key players of the period. Many of the magnificent pieces of gold jewellery, rich tapestries and textiles, Japanese screens, African ivories, Chinese porcelain and Goan furniture are objects traders brought back from voyages; much of the religious art has come from monasteries, convents and churches. Wonderful work exhibited in the Casa das Janelas Verdes, the former 17th-century palace of the Marquês de Pombal, includes paintings by Portuguese talents Gregório Lopes, Frei Carlos, Josefa de Obidos and Domingos António de Sequeira, along with work by Raphael, Piero della Francesca and Albrecht Dürer.
MUSEU NACIONAL DO AZULEJO
Lovers of ceramic tiles will be spellbound by the beautiful National Tile Museum and its unique collection of Portugal's national treasure – the azulejo. The variety and beauty of the intricate tiles on display in the lovely former 15th-century convent of Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Madre de Deus is extraordinary and impressive. The richly decorated antique tiles are organised in chronological order so the observer can trace the history of tile making and development of decorative designs. There is representation of tiles from around the globe and their border crossings are evident, from the intertwining and interweaving of patterns on Moorish tiles visible in the Spanish ceramics to the familiar blue-and-white historical scenes of Portuguese tiles apparent on their Flemish cousins. Many of the tiles are ingeniously exhibited in their original state, decorating walls, staircases and windows. There are also wonderful temporary exhibitions of antique ceramics, pottery, porcelain and vases. The convent itself is a delight, with all its glorious Manueline features, graceful cloisters, elegant tiled courtyards and waterside location. Just as impressive is the opulent interior and gold altarpiece of the chapel.
PANTEÃO NACIONAL DE SANTA ENGRACIA
Appearing on a thousand postcards, the enormous dome of the National Pantheon and Church of Santa Engracia dominates the Lisbon skyline and offers staggering city and Tejo views. Stunningly situated on a slope overlooking the river, this unique example of Portuguese baroque architecture was named the National Pantheon in 1916 and now contains tombs and memorials to Portuguese presidents and important historic and literary figures. These figures include such names as famous fadista (fado singer) Amália (p80); poets Luís Vaz de Camões and João de Deus; writer Almeida Garrett; the architect of the Age of Discovery, Henry the Navigator; and explorers Vasco da Gama and Pedro Álvares Cabral. The freedom fighter, General Humberto Delgado, is also entombed here; he was assassinated by the secret police in 1965. King Manuel's daughter, Princess Mary, had commissioned construction of Igreja de Santa Engrácia in 1568, yet work on the stately edifice didn't begin until 1683 (long after Mary's death). The construction was still incomplete when its architect, João Antunes, died in 1712. Work continued, although the church was partially destroyed by the 1755 earthquake. Princess Mary's commission wasn't properly finished until the completion of its dome and inauguration in 1966. It took almost 400 years for this princess's wish to be granted!
BASÍLICA DA ESTRÉLA
Portugal's princesses had an unusual habit of commissioning the construction of churches. Princess Mary never got to see building of her Igreja de Santa Egrácia commence (see p17). Maria I, the daughter of King José I, promised to build a basilica if she gave birth to a son and heir. She had her son, and the building of her church began in 1779, but sadly the child died of smallpox before the basilica was completed in 1790. Like the Igreja de Santa Egrácia, the Basílica da Estréla has a colossal dome, a wonderful marble interior and fantastic views over Lisbon and the river. With its combination of baroque and neoclassical influences, it is less stately and yet more elegant than Egrácia, with its pretty belfries, ornate decoration and statuary on the exterior. However, what makes Estréla really special is its richly detailed grey, pink and lemon patterned interior. Outside, the peace and quiet of pretty Jardim da Estréla is sometimes punctuated by a lively brass band, while on Saturdays the garden often provides a lovely background for wedding pictures of Lisboan bridal parties.
PARQUE DAS NAÇÕES & OCEANÁRIO DE LISBOA
Situated northeast of the centre, on the Rio Tejo, Parque das Nações (Nations Park; pronounced naz-oish) was created as the site for the 1998 World Expo, successfully attracting over 10 million people (more than the population of Portugal!). Established on reclaimed industrial wasteland that was formerly home to an oil refinery, abattoir and rubbish dump, the project transformed the face of the waterfront from eyesore to spectacular architectural playground. With the 150 Expo pavilions long gone, what's left behind is a landscaped riverside park with some terrific sights, such as leading architect Álvaro Siza Vieira's Pavilhão de Portugal. There's also the 140m-high Vasco da Gama Tower (currently closed), the incredibly strong Ponte de Vasco da Gama (p26), some waterside eateries and bars, an excellent shopping mall and stunning apartment and office blocks. The favourite for many people is Oceanário de Lisboa, the sevenmillion - litre aquarium, with a vast central tank containing five million litres of water. It's home to 450 species of sea life from the world's seas, including creatures such as a 2.5m-wide giant manta, adorable otters, affable penguins, and not-so-friendly sharks. Children also love the nearby Pavilhão do Conhecimento (Pavilion of Knowledge; p32).
SÃO VICENTE DE FORA
Founded in 1147, this beautiful church and monastery (called St Vincent of Outside, as it was outside the city walls) was built on the burial sites of foreign crusaders and later, between 1582 and 1629, reconstructed under the guidance of Italian Renaissance master, Felipe Terzi. While the main dome and roof collapsed on worshippers in the earthquake of 1755, it was later rebuilt. The style of the façade was the first of its kind in the country and it informed many 17th-century façades throughout the Portuguese sphere of influence. The adjoining monastery is famous for its remarkable blue-and white azulejos (14,521 of them) dating from the 18th century. Up on the 1st floor, there's a unique collection of 38 panels depicting La Fontaine's fables (entertaining 17thcentury moral tales), with accompanying English and French background text. At the rear of the monastery is the former refectory that was transformed into the Bragança Mausoleum in 1885. This sombre room contains the marble tombs of most of the Braganças (former rulers of Portugal). But perhaps the best part of the visit is the expansive views of the Rio Tejo after you climb the stairs to the roof.
Reproduced with permission from Best of Lisbon © 2006 Lonely Planet Publications.
