Versão portuguesa aqui.
GPS 38.707584874035255, -9.136411677517122
Praça do Comércio, still commonly referred to by its former name of Terreiro do Paço, is a square in downtown Lisbon located next to the Tagus River, in the area that was the site of the palace of the kings of Portugal for about two centuries and which today it is partially occupied by some government departments. It is one of the largest squares in Europe, measuring around 36,000 m² (180m x 200m). The square is bordered by 79 arches.
It is considered a historic symbol of political power and manifestation of capital in Portugal. This symbology is generally associated with state centralism.
In 1511, King D. Manuel I transferred his residence from Castelo de São Jorge to this location by the river. The Paço da Ribeira, as well as its library of 70,000 volumes, were destroyed by the earthquake of 1755. In the reconstruction, coordinated by Eugénio dos Santos, the square became a fundamental element of the plan of the Marquês de Pombal.
The buildings surrounding the square were, for decades, used by different ministries and other public institutions. Today its use is divided between government departments, cultural and promotional activities, hotels, restaurants and cafes.
It is in one of the buildings on the square that the famous Martinho da Arcada café is located, the oldest in Lisbon, and one of Fernando Pessoa's favourites.
After the Revolution of 1910 the buildings were painted pink. However, they have recently returned to their original color, yellow. The south side, with its two square towers, faces the Tagus.
It was for a long time the noble entrance to Lisbon and, on the marble steps of Cais das Colunas, coming from the river, heads of state and other prominent figures disembarked and were received.
In the center of the square, you can see the equestrian statue of D. José, erected in 1775 by Joaquim Machado de Castro, the main Portuguese sculptor of the 18th century.
On the north side of the square is the Rua Augusta Triumphal Arch, the entrance to Baixa.
The area served as a car park until the 1990s, but today this vast space is used for cultural events and shows.
Historical facts.
On December 1, 1640, the old square saw the end of the Iberian Union with the arrest of the Duchess of Mantua and the death of Secretary of State Miguel de Vasconcelos, who was thrown from a palace window into the Terreiro.
In the 1755 earthquake, where the buildings that make up Terreiro do Paço are now located, there was the Royal Palace, in whose library 70,000 volumes and hundreds of works of art were kept, including paintings by Titian, Rubens and Correggio. Everything was destroyed. The precious Royal Archives with documents relating to ocean exploration, among which, for example, numerous letters from the discovery of Brazil and other ancient documents were also lost.
On February 1, 1908, King D. Carlos and his son, Prince Real D. Luís Filipe, were murdered as they passed through the square.
During the Revolution of 1910, the square witnessed the landing of the Navy at Cais das Colunas to occupy strategic locations in the city. On October 5, 1910, in Praça do Município next to the terreiro, the Republic was proclaimed.
On February 18, 1957, Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom disembarked at Cais das Colunas, on her visit to Portugal.
During the Estado Novo regime, some of the speeches by the President of the Council, Oliveira Salazar, were delivered at the windows of ministries, namely on 27 August 1963, in a grandiose demonstration of support for Portuguese overseas policy.
On April 25, 1974, the square witnessed one of the episodes of the revolution that overthrew the government of Marcello Caetano and the Estado Novo.
On May 11, 2010, Pope Benedict XVI celebrated the Eucharist in the square for about 280,000 people.
In 2016, the square once again hosted the celebrations of the Day of Portugal, Camões and the Communities that had not been held here since the end of the Estado Novo.
historical images
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