Pictures of Lisbon, Portugal

Rossio Square from the Elevator

2008-09-28T11:28:00.000-07:00

View of Rossio Square in Lisbon as seen from the city's elevator.

Principe Real Park

2008-08-17T13:57:00.000-07:00

Rossio Square

2008-08-09T06:36:00.000-07:00

Rossio is the popular name of the Pedro IV Square (Portuguese: Praça de D. Pedro IV). It has been the setting of popular revolts and celebrations, bullfights and executions, and is now a preferred meeting place of Lisbon natives and tourists alike.

The current name of the Rossio pays hommage to Pedro IV, King of Portugal as well as first Emperor of Brasil (as Pedro I). His bronze statue is seen on top of a column in the middle of the square.

Some of the cafés and shops of the square date from the 18th century, like the Café Nicola, where poet Manuel Maria Barbosa du Bocage used to meet friends. Other traditional shops include the Pastelaria Suíça and the Ginjinha, where the typical Lisbon spirit (Ginjinha) can be tasted. The building of the Maria II Theatre and the Public Gardens to the north of the square only made the area more attended by Lisbon high society in the 19th century. Nowadays it is constantly populated by Lisboners and tourists.

(Source: Wikipedia)

Parque das Nações

2008-07-30T09:02:00.001-07:00

Parque das Nações is a modern centre of Lisbon that, believe it or not, used to be a waste dump. It was built to host Expo '98 (1998 Lisbon World Exposition). Today, Parque das Nações in Lisbon is a business, commercial and tourist centre.

Parque das Nações boasts the famous Lisbon aquarium, Casino Lisboa, Lisbon Tower, and the Vasco da Gama shopping centre.

There is a system of cable cars taking visitors on a tour of Parque das Nações / Expo.

Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation

2008-07-14T02:07:00.000-07:00

The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation (Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian) is a Portuguese private foundation of public utility whose statutory aims are in the fields of arts, charity, education, and science. It was created by a clause in the will of Calouste Sarkis Gulbenkian, a petrol magnate of Armenian origin.

The head-office is located in Lisbon. The large premises, opened in 1969, comprise the head-office itself and the museum, and were designed by Ruy Athouguia, Pedro Cid, and Alberto Pessoa. In addition to the areas occupied by the Foundation's management and various departments, the premises include a large auditorium, a space for temporary exhibitions, a congress area with auditoriums and other rooms, as well as a large building that houses the Calouste Gulbenkian Museum and the Art Library. The entire complex is set in the Gulbenkian Park, which was designed by Ribeiro Telles. In 1983, the Modern Art Centre, consisting of a museum and an education centre, was opened at one end of the park.

Below you can find some pictures of the Gulbenkian Park, a part of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. Note that entrance to the Gulbenkian Park is free of charge, although exhibitions and concerts are usually charged at the entrance.

The Gulbenkian Park is one of the most tranquil and beautiful spots in Lisbon. A real gem for park, art and modern architecture lovers. A visit to the park is highly recommended.

Campo Pequeno Bullring

2008-07-03T03:57:00.000-07:00

Built towards the end of the 19th century, this bullring in Lisbon was renovated in 2006. After its renovation, the building gained other uses apart from bull fighting. Today it hosts concerts and other types of sports. The building's architectural style belongs to neo-Mudéjar, combing the elements of old Arab architecture on the Iberian Peninsula with Romanticism. The Campo Pequeno Bullring is certainly one of Lisbon's landmark buildings.

Downtown Lisbon (Baixa-Chiado)

2008-06-27T02:04:00.000-07:00

Downtown Lisbon is notorious for its trams, recognisable architecture, tourist cafes, and shops. If you choose to spend your holidays in Lisbon, however, try to avoid the tourist cafes as these sometimes charge up to 4 times more than the regular cafes and pastry shops (tascas and pastelarias). So, whereas a black coffee usually costs 0.50 € in the regular establishments, tourist cafes sometimes charge 1.50 or 2.00 €. Try to avoid the usual touristic routes, go explore by yourself the walls of old Lisbon. If there is a city in the world that can be explored individually as if it were a rainforest of architecture, narrow streets and authentic characters, then Lisbon is surely one of them.

Largo do Chiado (Chiado Square)

Chiado

Most of downtown Lisbon is actually not as old as one might think. It was destroyed during the great Lisbon earthquake in 1755.

Bairro Alto

2008-06-26T00:16:00.000-07:00

Bairro Alto is a neighbourhood in the centre of Lisbon. It is a bohemian quarter that attracts crowds of young people at night with its bars and clubs. On weekends, the streets are usually filled with people, who prefer to stand outside the bars on the streets to drink and talk. Bairro Alto is popular with tourists and especially young backpackers and exchange students.

View of Central Lisbon from Graça

2008-06-25T15:42:00.000-07:00