Baixa District, Lisbon, Portugal

The Pombaline Lower Town (called usually as Baixa) area covers about 235,620 square metres of central Lisbon. It is an elegant district, primarily constructed after the 1755 Lisbon earthquake. It takes its name from Sebastião José de Carvalho e Melo, the Prime Minister to Joseph I of Portugal from 1750 to 1777 and key figure of 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.

Today Baixa area has elegant squares, pedestrianized streets, cafes, and shops. Old tramcars, street performers, tiled Art Deco shopfronts, elaborately decorated pastry shops, and street vendors selling everything from flowers to souvenirs, all lend a special charm to the area.

Baixa was placed on Portugal's tentative list of potential World Heritage Sites in 2004.

References:

Wikipedia

User Reviews

e lectrogroover (3 years ago)
Great metro station very large and spacious. Especially great that you can get from baixa chiado to the nightlife district bairro alto via endless escalators.

Sumeer Meraj (3 years ago)
Since 2 month the escalators of Baixa chiado metro are not working. Many peoples are facing problems, heavy suitcase ang bags need to hold with hands and then go by stairs.

Olúwatóyọ̀sí Abíkóyè (3 years ago)
It's a convenient outlet to most tourist sites in lisbon

Frank Schürmann (3 years ago)
Its an old and very nice part of Lisbon with some nice book-shops and cafes.

Skuggie (4 years ago)
Metros good on time. Comfortably warm in winter

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

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Sigmaringen Castle

Sigmaringen Castle was first mentioned in the year 1077 in the chronicles of Petershausen monastery. The oldest parts of the castle are concealed beneath the alterations made during the 17th and the 19th centuries. The secret of the earliest settlement built on this defendable rock will never be fully revealed: large-scale excavation work would be necessary, which the extensive land development renders impossible. Judging from the many Roman remains unearthed in the area around Sigmaringen, the 12th century keep known as the 'Roman Tower' could be traced back to a Roman predecessor.

The castle remains that have been preserved (gate, great hall and keep) date back to the Staufer period around 1200. The castle remains were integrated into subsequent buildings. The foundations of the castle buildings are to a large extent identical to the surrounding castle wall.

These remains give us a good idea of how the castle might have looked during the 12th century.

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