Lisbon Baixa
Baixa
Baixa Pombalina | |
|---|---|
Santa Maria Maior | |
| Foundation | 1755 |
The Baixa ("Downtown"), also known as the Baixa Pombalina (IPA: Lisbon Castle, and extends northwards towards the Rossio and Figueira squares and the Avenida da Liberdade, a tree-lined boulevard noted for its tailoring shops and cafes.
History
The Pombaline Baixa is an elegant district, primarily constructed after the
the Enlightenment
in Portugal, who took the lead in ordering the rebuilding of Lisbon after the 1755 earthquake. The Marquis of Pombal imposed strict conditions on rebuilding the city, and the current grid pattern strongly differs from the organic streetplan that characterised the district before the earthquake.
The Pombaline Baixa is one of the first examples of
earthquake-resistant construction. Architectural models were tested by having troops march around them to simulate an earthquake. Notable features of Pombaline structures include the Pombaline cage
, a symmetrical wood-lattice framework aimed at distributing earthquake force, and inter-terrace walls that are built higher than roof timbers to reduce fire contagion.
It was placed on Portugal's "tentative list" of potential World Heritage Sites on 7 December 2004, which declares it superior to the planned areas in Edinburgh, Turin and London; in particular, the submission states that the plans for the reconstruction of London after the Great Fire in 1666 "does not implement overall principles" like those achieved in the Pombaline.
Landmarks
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Baixa Pombalina.
Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Lisbon/Baixa.
- Tentative list (English)
- Baixa Pombalina website (Portuguese)
- Virtual Tour & Location Map of Baixa Pombalina (English)