A city written in tiles
Walk any street in Lisbon and you will see azulejos, the glazed ceramic tiles that cover facades, church interiors, stations and staircases. The tradition owes much to Moorish influence and arrived via Spain, but Portugal made it its own, from the blue and white panels depicting saints and battles to the geometric patterns that protect buildings from the damp Atlantic climate.
To understand the craft, visit the National Tile Museum, housed in a former convent east of the centre. Its collection runs from early geometric designs to contemporary works, and a long panoramic panel shows Lisbon as it looked before the earthquake of 1755.
Manueline Belém
In the early sixteenth century, wealth from Portugal's maritime voyages funded a distinctive late Gothic style named after King Manuel I. Manueline architecture is covered in ropes, knots, shells, armillary spheres and exotic plants carved in stone, a celebration of the sea and discovery.
The finest example is the Jerónimos Monastery in Belém, whose cloister is a lacework of carved limestone. Nearby, the Belém Tower, a small fortress that once guarded the river entrance, is decorated with similar motifs. Both are World Heritage Sites and among the most visited monuments in the country.
Pombaline Lisbon
After the earthquake and the fire and tsunami that followed, much of the lower city was rebuilt under the Marquis of Pombal. The Baixa's regular grid, uniform facades and grand riverside square, the Praça do Comércio, were among the first examples of large-scale planned reconstruction in Europe. The buildings even included an early form of earthquake-resistant timber framing.
Lisbon's black and white cobbled pavements, known as calçada portuguesa, are another signature. Patterns range from simple waves, such as those in Rossio square, to elaborate designs, all laid by hand.
Contemporary Lisbon
The city has embraced modern architecture too. The riverside MAAT, a museum of art, architecture and technology, has a curved, tiled roof you can walk over. Parque das Nações, built for the 1998 World Expo, features the dramatic Oriente station and the Oceanário. Allow time to compare old and new; it is part of what makes Lisbon so rewarding to explore on foot.
Keep an eye out, too, for the city's street art. Lisbon has embraced large murals on blank walls, particularly along the avenues north of the centre and in districts such as Alcântara, where the LX Factory, a former industrial complex, now houses shops, cafes and studios.
Good to know
- Never remove or buy loose old tiles from street sellers; tile theft from historic buildings is a real problem.
- Cobbled pavements are slippery when wet, so wear shoes with good grip.
- Visit Jerónimos early or late in the day to avoid the longest lines.