PRAÇA DA FIGUEIRA

Description

Essentials about Praça da Figueira in brief

Along with the directly adjacent Rossio and Praça do Comércio, Praça da Figueira (meaning “Square of the Fig Tree”) is one of three large squares in downtown Lisbon that were rebuilt after their destruction by the Great Earthquake of 1755. The square’s interesting mix of cafes and stores and its liveliness make Praça da Figueira one of the favorite places of locals and tourists alike.

The history of Praça da Figueira

Until the 16th century, Praça da Figueira did not exist. Most of the area was occupied at the time by the Hospital Real de Todos os Santos (Royal All Saints Hospital), the largest of its kind in the Portuguese capital. After the devastating earthquake of 1755, the hospital was so badly damaged that the Lisbon city government decided to demolish it.

In the following years, a large open space was created, which was mainly used for weekly markets. At the end of the 19th century, a large covered market hall with an area of 8,000 square meters was built on Praça da Figueira. In 1949, the hall was finally demolished. In 1971, the statue of King João I of Portugal became the trademark of Praça da Figueira. João I is commonly regarded as the defender of the Portuguese homeland, having overthrown the pro-Castilian interim ruler Leonore Teles de Menezes in the Revolution of 1383. On the side of the statue are two medallions depicting Nuno Álvares Pereira and João das Regras, both of whom helped João I to power.

The significance of Praça da Figueira

Praça da Figueira is a very homogeneous square surrounded by several four-story buildings with many hotels, cafes and stores. Here you can buy food of the highest quality in the many fish stores, wine stores, fruit and vegetable stores, butcher stores and cheese stores. In addition, the square is also an important transport hub of numerous bus lines, the streetcar and the metro.