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places of interest and excursion destinations in other countries: FR IT MT NL PL PT ES DE
Neighborhoods in Lisbon:
Near Lisbon
Selected cities in Portugal
Lars Haagen Petersen
One of the old trams on the way up - Alfama spring 2009
Lisbon - Portugal's charming capital - is built on and around seven hills just
like Rome. The city itself is estimated to have approx. 560,000 inhabitants
(Barrio Alto, Chiado, Alfama, Castelo, Craca, Baixa and Rossio), but if one
includes the suburbs, it is estimated that the population will reach approx. 2.5
million. The most famous of the hills is called Alfarma, and it is here you can
find the castle Castello de Sao Jorge. From the castle there are an excellent
view of the Tagus River and the city's red roofs.
Wanted
Ponte Abril 25 bridge, the Cristo Rei statue and the footbridge to the Belém
Tower at the entrance to Lisbon from the Atlantic Ocean and up the Tagus River -
Spring 2019
When you come by sea from the Atlantic to sail to the beautiful capital of
Portugal, you have to go up through the Tagus River and past the Belém tower,
which was erected in memory of the great seafarer Vasco da Gama, but which also
aimed to secure the city counter attack. Shortly afterwards, you sail under the
bridge, which is now called the Abril 25 bridge in memory of the Carnation
Revolution in 1974, but which until then was called Ponte Salazar after the
overthrown dictator, António de Oliveira Salazar. The bridge is often compared
to the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, but has pretty much only the color
in common with this one.
Belém
Tower - Spring 2019
When the Belém Tower was built in the early 16th century, it was placed in
the middle of the river to better defend the entrance to the capital. The
river has subsequently changed over the years, which has meant that it is
now quite close to the northern bank.
Cristo Rei and a view from and towards the '25. abril bridge' - Winter
2015
Shortly after Christo Rei
you can see the rebuilt Praça do Comércio square with the statue of King
José I, which reigns from 1750 - 1777. After the earthquake disaster in
1755, the square and the entire Baxia district were rebuilt by one of the
city's famous sons, the Marquis of Pombal, which had the street structure
rebuilt in the area so that it no longer was a fire trap. The streets became
wide and winding in contrast to the building anarchy that had previously
prevailed, where construction was just dense and more or less random.
Praça do Comércio -
The large open space with the statue of King José I - Spring 2016 There are
three things to always keep in mind when visiting Lisbon that have meant a
great deal to the Portuguese in modern times, and that is the earthquake of
1755, the reign of dictator Salazar from 1932-1968 and the colonial wars.
The earthquake is considered one of the greatest natural disasters in
European history, and it largely destroyed Lisbon. Dictator Salazar was
behind the infamous state security police PIDE, which was tasked with
tracking down and pacifying political opponents of the regime. Moreover, he
was also against the independence of the Portuguese colonies, and for the
same reason he threw the country into some very long, bloody and
economically exhausting wars, which Portugal lost. It was also Salazar who
ensured that higher education was for the rich elite and not for the poor -
And for the same reason, the majority of the population only received 6
years of schooling.
The Dictator António de Oliveira Salazar The
protracted and grueling colonial wars that continually drained the treasury
of money and the population's lack of education have meant that the country
belongs to one of Western Europe's poorest. Pulling up a population that has
been held tightly in poverty and "ignorance" is quite demanding and although
Portugal experienced an economic recovery upon accession to the EU, it has
unfortunately failed to maintain it. One of Lisbon's many old trams - Line 28, the most popular
for tourists - Spring 2008 The old trams
are part of the charm of Lisbon, but the public transport system - and here I am
not thinking of the metro - is no longer up-to-date and adequate, and that is
because the trams are primarily occupied by tourists. When I started coming to
Lisbon in the 90's, it was still possible for the city's senior citizens to use
these means of transport - And should there be a shortage of seats, one
naturally got up and offered one's place as the most natural thing in the world,
but now they can not even get on the trams for all the tourists push themselves
forward in the queue to secure the available seats. Attempts have been made to
solve this problem by offering red trams to tourists, but since they are neither
original nor equally cheap, it is no wonder that tourists prefer the originals
to a much greater extent.
The
cabelcar from Praca dos Restauradores to Bairro Alto - Elevador da Bica -
Winter 2008
Something quite unique - now we are at trams - are the so-called inclined
ones, which are quite special to the city. There are three - Elevador da
Bica, Elevador do Lavra and probably the most famous, Elevador da Gloria.
They drag themselves up and down on three of the seven hills Lisbon is built
around.
The picture illustrates quite clearly why it is so important, especially for
the elderly, to be able to make use of the public transport in Lisbon, if
there are any - Spring 2017
Of course, mass tourism has also left its mark on Lisbon, as in
all other European cities, where in the high season (and it is long in Lisbon)
it is almost impossible for the citizens to use public transport except the
metro, as they almost all is 'seized' by tourists driving around in the city.
Especially the trams - inclined as well as straight - are constantly crowded. In
addition to us easily recognizable pale tourists, there are also approx. a small
mio. or 1/3 of the population, descended from the former colonies, which fill up
the cityscape.
Gloria - Spring 2018
Lisbon is known for its three crooked trams that run up and down some of the
steep hills in the city centre every day. The trips don't last long and the
longest route is probably not much more than a few hundred metres, but in
the summer it is a real relief to not have to drag yourself up in the
scorching sun. Unfortunately, some of the city's youth have started to
decorate the crooked trams a bit too much. Reportedly, a teacher has been
hired to appeal to the young people to stick to the places selected by the
municipality, but either he hasn't had much impact or he hasn't been around
all the way, because in some places, it's really too much and in no way
particularly reassuring. However, it must be said in fairness that the crime
rate in the city is very low.
Anniversary sign in the Gloria tram -
Spring 2015
Castello de Sao Jorge
on the left and a bit of the 'Ponte 25 de Abril' on the right - Seen from
one of Lisbon's seven hills - Spring 2017
I have visited Lisbon for a little over 30 years and have been there quite a
few times throughout the years, but mostly in recent years, where I
typically spends a week or so in the city at the end of April, when the
leaves just have sprouted out on Av. en Liberdade, which is somewhat similar
to Ku'dam in Berlin - but a slightly economically poorer version, but Lisbon
is also a poor city just like the country Portugal, where there are large
class differences just as there also are differences between "north and
south" - They are richest up north - in the Porto area. The grueling
colonial wars have cost Portugal dearly and although the country for a short
time recovered from EU accession, it has never really taken hold. However,
the EU has more permanently contributed to e.g. that the level of hygiene
has been raised. I remember before the EU came into the picture, I sow how
they dragged half pigs along the sidewalks from the trucks and to the shops
and how in a south-facing window they had decorated it with live giant
crabs, which they had pulled threads through and then hung them up like
pearls on a string and next to a gazelle shank with fur, tail and all. I
also remember how the crabs emitted some huge foam bubbles in their death
struggle in the backing sun of summer. I shall omit a further description,
but just emphasize that this is no longer the case.
Praça de D. Pedro IV
or Praça do Rossio - Spring 2017
Most of the buildings around the beautiful square originate from the
reconstruction after the great earthquake in Lisbon in 1755, only the Palace
of Independence survived the catastrophic earthquake. The reconstruction of
Rossio was completed in the second half of the 18th century by the
architects Eugénio dos Santos and Carlos Mardel.
Click on the image below to learn more about the fateful
earthquake of 1755
The Lisbon 1755 Earthquake - animated video
(Cantum - Mensurable 2018)
The beautiful tiles testify to a
more glorious time - 2009
Click on the pictures to enlarge them
A few trams in Lisbon - February 2009
Ponte 25 de Abril -
The bridge that was named after the dictator Salazar before the Carnation
Revolution
From Castello de Sao Jorge
there is an excellent view - Winter 2008
The castle, whose oldest parts can be dated back to the fifteenth century,
has been continuously rebuilt and fortified. After the earthquake in 1755,
the castle remained unused until the early 1930s, when it began to be
renovated. There is not much to see on the castle itself, but there is an
excellent restaurant where it can be recommended that you take a break and
enjoy the excellent views. If you do not want to go all the way up there,
you can with a little luck use tram no. 28, which is an experience in
itself.
Restaurante Casa do Leão - Spring 2015
The restaurant - Restaurante Casa do Leão - is not one of the cheapest, as
expected, but the food is excellent, the service is excellent and the view
is excellent, so the money is well spent.
Tram no. 28 runs i.a. almost all the way up to the castle
Castello de Sao Jorge - Winter 2008
The traffic in Lisbon can be hectic and people drive both fast and close to
you. For the same reason, it's a really good idea to keep an extra close eye
before you just throw yourself into it.
From Lisbon's seven hills there is
often an excellent view of the city - Winter 2008
View from Miradouro de Nossa Senhora de Monte - Lisbon's highest point
- winter 2008
The most charming area of Lisbon's nightlife is Bairro Alto. The area, which
during the day consists of cozy little business streets, is in the evening
transformed into a hang-out place for thousands of locals and tourists. It
is very lively and not just at the bars. You are welcome to take your drink
out on the street and enjoy yourself with the guests from the neighboring
bar. There are an incredible number of small, cunning places, and you can
find music for every taste. Salsa is also popular in Bairro Alto, where the
bars typically close at 4-5 in the morning. Alfama in the eastern part of
old Lisbon is also very popular as a walk-in-the-city place, although there
are typically more people in the evening than in Bairrro Alto, which may
well be crowded at the weekend. In both Bairro Alto and Alfama, the
Portuguese blues "Fado" is sung in the many fado houses.
Mixed pictures from Lisbon winter 2008
Fresh fish in Bairro Alto - October 2015
As Portugal is located on the Atlantic Ocean, it is only natural that
"everything good from the sea" is an essential part of Lisbon cuisine and a
fresh moray eel does not get in the way, although sardines are probably more
preferred.
Bairro Alto - Spring 2017
Near Lisbon
Selected cities in Portugal
Andre glimrende rejsemål
Other fine destinations
Ni breve til geheimearkivar m.m. C. F Wegener:
"TeamViewer"
Remote Desktop Software
After the bridge you pass Cristo Rei, who is inspired by the figure of
Christ in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. The figure was erected after the war to
thank God for avoiding being involved in World War II.
