Lisbon, population 536,000, is the capital of Portugal. It lies on the northern side of the mouth of the Rio Tejo, and is known for its somewhat medieval character, fully modern but still preserving the past. It is an increasingly popular tourist destination (along with Oporto) due to its low prices and slightly less spoiled beauty. Unfortunately, what makes Lisbon attractive to tourists may be destroyed by the tourists it attracts. Within a few years, Lisbon may well be as touristed and overpriced as much of Europe.
Lisbon is one of the most important ports in Europe. Its other industries include shipbuilding, textiles, chemicals, and sugar refining. Lisbon is known to its inhabitants as the city of seven hills, and for good reason. Visitors should expect to climb a lot of hills when they travel around the city. The center of town (the region known as the Baixa, meaning 'low') is flat, but it is surrounded by steep hills upon which most of the city lays.
Sections of Lisbon
The center of Lisbon is the Cidade Baixa, the Low City. Its centerpiece is the Praça do Comêrcio, a large square with public buildings on three sides and water on the fourth. The Baixa is a grid of streets lined with clothing and electronics stores. The Baixa feels fairly modern and cosmopolitan, in contrast to the neighborhood to its north, the Rossio district, which contains budget accomodations and al fresco dining, mostly catering to tourists. The Rossio is mostly inaccessible by car and is older than the Baixa, and charmingly Old World, filled with small fruit markets and pastry shops.
To the west of the Rossio lies the Bairro Alto, the High Neighborhood, which, shockingly, is built upon hills. It is accessible from the Baixa by a large elevator, or by climbing for a few blocks up rather steep streets. The elevator is the Elevador de Santa Justa, a large wrought-iron structure built in 1902 by a follower of Gustave Eiffel, and there is a certain resemblance to the Eiffel Tower. There is even a café at the top which offers a fantastic view of the city below. The Bairro Alto is mostly residential, but it also contains many nightclubs. Just south, west of the Baixa, is the Chiado, an elegant shopping area primarily filled with well-dressed natives.
East of the Baixa and Rossio and also requiring a climb, are the Alfama and the Mouraria, the latter so named because it was the Moorish district of the city after it was retaken by Christians. This is the oldest part of Lisbon, the only area to survive the 1755 earthquake that destroyed most of the city. These are mostly residential, with tiny bars and shops rarely visited by tourists. The Alfama and Mouraria are a maze of narrow, twisting streets which barely accomodate cars at all. They are in fact so narrow that I witnessed an ambulance actually become wedged between two buildings - perhaps this is why most of the residents drive tiny European cars like Peugeots and Citroens. In the center of the Alfama district lies one of Lisbon's attractions, the Castelo de São Jorges, a very extensively fixed-up castle that is interesting, but probably bears little resemblance to its original form.
The newer parts of the city, with large buildings and wide streets, surround the older parts of the city. They probably aren't as interesting as tourist destinations, but they are the center of Lisbon's status as the capital and commercial center of a nation.
History
Like most European cities, Lisbon is ancient. Legend states that it was founded by Ulysses. It dates back to long before the Romans entered the region; its name, in fact, comes from Olisipo, from the Phoenician Allis Ubbo, meaning "enchanting port". Little is known about it prior to the Roman era, which began in the 2nd century BCE and ended with the collapse of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century CE. During much of this period, it was the most important city in the region.
After the Roman empire collapsed, the Visigoths that had invaded Iberia only held sway for a few years: in 714, Moors invaded the city (along with almost all of Iberia) and held it for over 400 years, until 1147, when it was reconquered. It became the capital (replacing Coimbra) of the new nation of Portugal in 1255 and its port status allowed for rapid development.
Soon Portugal's Age of Discoveries began. During the 15th century, Portugal led the European world in exploration, out of a desire (owing to the Moorish occupation) to avoid supporting Muslim merchants. A Portuguese ship in 1434 passed Cape Bojador on the West African coast, and in 1497 Vasco de Gama discovered a sea route to India. Lisbon became the capital of a great empire, and the wealth from these explorations made it one of the richest and most opulent cities in Europe.
This era was short, though. Soon Portugal was bankrupted by the cost of the expeditions that had made it rich. In 1580 Felipe II of Spain claimed the throne of Portugal, joining the nations for 60 years, until Portuguese nationalists managed to free the country. Eventually, riches from the New World, especially the gold discovered in Brazil, helped to restore Portugal's power and Lisbon's wealth. However, Lisbon was struck by a massive earthquake in 1755 which destroyed almost all of the city. The Marquês de Pombal financed the reconstruction, and the city continued to grow, but it never regained its prior prestige and power.
After Napolean's occupation (which began in 1807), Lisbon was in chaos for a century, along with all of Portugal. During the early 20th century, the government changed hands 45 times. In 1926 a coup led to a period of chaos lasting until 1932 when António de Oliveira Salazar's authoritarian reign began, lasting until 1968. During World War II, Portugal was neutral, leading to Lisbon's status as a haven for immigrants from the rest of Europe, which partially explains the rich ethnic diversity of the city. Salazar's successor, Marcelo Caetano, was overthrown in 1974 in the Revolução dos Cravos, or 'Carnation Revolution', a bloodless coup that lasted one night. The citizens took to the streets, joining the military forces determined to end Caetano's regime. The event was so called because carnations were in season at the time, and many of the state's soldiers put them in their gun barrels to signify their refusal to fight to prop up the government. Caetano took refuge in a police station and then left for exile in Brazil.