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Rossio (Praca Dom Pedro IV), Lisboa, Portugal, 2017[open in full screen]  

 
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The Rossio became an important place in the city during the 13th and 14th centuries, when the population of the city expanded from the surrounding hills to the lower area. The name "rossio" is roughly equivalent to the word "commons" in English, and refers to a commonly owned terrain. From around 1450 important buildings start appearing, among others Palace of Estaus first as a house for foreign dignitaries visiting Lisbon and then as a seat of Inquisitions. The first auto-da-fé [public execution by burning] took place on the square in 1540.

Most buildings around the Rossio date from the reconstruction, carried out by Marquis of Pombal, after the 1755 Lisbon earthquake, which levelled most structures in the area, including the magnificent All-Saints Hospital. Only the Palace of the Independence survived the catastrophic earthquake. After a fire in 1836, the old Inquisition Palace was demolished. The Teatro Nacional D. Maria II, was built instead in the 1840s in neoclassical style.

  In the 19th century the Rossio was paved with typical Portuguese mosaic, later copied all over the country and the world, especially in Brazil, and was adorned with bronze fountains imported from France. The Column of Pedro IV was erected in 1874. At this time the square received its current official name, never accepted by the people.

In 1887 another important landmark was built in the square: the Rossio Train Station. The Station was was an important addition to the infrastructure of the city. Its beautiful neo-manueline façade dominates the northwest side of the square. There is an interesting story about this building. As station was place of waiting and hope, Statue of the King Dom Sebastiao, as a symbol of the future King that will arrive on misty morning as prophesised by Sebasianic utopia. Whole facade is designed with number 17 in mind, shield king is holding is at the 17˚ angle, there is 17 combined doors and windows, king is shown at age of 17, etc. all of this referring to the Portuguese "biorhythm" of 17 years cycles.

  On May 3, 2016, a 126-year-old statue of Dom Sebastian of Portugal that stood in a niche was destroyed by a person climbing up for a photograph. What's Portugal destiny now?

Afer all of the reconstructions The Rossio became linked to the other main square of the city, the Praça do Comércio, [of course in our collection] by two straight streets: the Áurea and the Augusta Streets, forming the backbone of the central Baixa area of the city. Square is today commercial centre of the Lisbon, as a contrast to the administrative function of Praça do Comércio.

In these photos taken in March, when there are not a lot of tourists occupying Rossio, it is very obvious that locals are enjoying it very much. They are having a coffee and "pastéis de nata" in the "pastelarias", something to eat in the many patios on the square or just resting after a shopping. Many people are using Rossio to traverse between two hills, two funicular are strategically located on the opposite side of the square, and a famous Elevador de Santa Just in very close, with magnificent view over Rossio.
Our previous visit to Rossio in September 2002.

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Last time updated on December 15, 2020 11:43